Storm
by royalwhiteout
Summary: A storm comes to Arendelle—one born of their guilty, sinful feelings. They're unsure if they can battle the dark emotions growing within their lonely hearts. [Contains G!P Anna]
1. The Calm

**A/N: **First chapter to a five-part scenario. Each chapter will feature a few kinks or a prominent kink, we'll list each one beforehand in case it's not up to your taste and you know what you're getting into.

Anyway, this started out simply as smut before growing into something that resembles a story so enjoy you awesome folks!

**Contains: **Incest, Masturbation, Voyeurism, G!P Anna

* * *

_How did this happen?_

The question keeps rolling around in her mind, a solid constant unlike her shaking, sweaty limbs. She pants, breathless, heart threatening to burst right out of her chest. There's a stench in the air that even she can smell despite her post-coitus fogged brain. Something that should be familiar—_is_ familiar—but her mind refuses to decipher what it is in this very moment.

She smells like sweat. A few beads dot her forehead once again with the rapid beating of her heart. The air permeates with the scent of sex and her dress is coated in semen, but Anna doesn't care about that. At least not right now.

What she _does _care about is the sight of her sister, so close to her that she can see her cheeks are bright red (_from shame? _she wonders distantly). One of her hands is fisted in her skirts, the other clamped tightly over her mouth. Her white gloves stand out against the dark interior of the wardrobe closet. Elsa looks ashamed, caught red-handed, _red-faced_. Her blue-purple dress is rumpled due to how cramped the closet is and a few stray, pale hairs are loose from her bun. She's shaking like a leaf, cowering in the corner and shoulders to her ears. Her back is bent and her body is so curled in on itself that she's convinced her sister would wrap herself into a ball if it weren't for the fact that she's already as small as the space allows her to be. Anna vaguely wonders how long Elsa's been in her closet.

The thought tickles the back of her mind for some reason, but her body is still too exhausted from her earlier activities to fully process what her brain is screaming at her to understand.

The clock strikes the twelfth hour behind her and the _tick-tock _and _ding-dong_ makes her jump.

Anna swallows, chest heaving, and Elsa's eyes dart down before looking back up. The bright blue hue is almost completely enveloped by her dilated pupils.

Suddenly Anna is all too aware of how bare she really is, dressed in only a short and wrinkled nightgown, several buttons at the collar undone. The short cut of the hem creates a draft between her legs and when it whistles past her lower body, she shivers, drawing her knees closer together. Her oversensitive privates shift, a tremor running down her spine that makes her handle on the closet door tighten.

Elsa's eyes widen just a bit more and her faint breathing is loud in the still room. Those blue eyes make her feel colder.

The dried sweat and semen don't help.

"Elsa?" Anna whispers, lips trembling. She takes a small step forward, the floor creaking under her weight.

Elsa gazes at her in horror and it hurts more than the chill in the room.

She reaches out and her older sister withdraws frantically, right hand scrambling for support behind her, searching for a way out, a _door_ to hide behind. Her shoulders smack against the back of the closet instead, trapped.

The slam and crackle of something behind her makes Anna wince and she rushes forward without thinking, heart leaping in concern.

Her fingers nearly grasp a dark purple sleeve when—

_"No!"_

Elsa's voice stops her dead in her tracks, feet nearly slipping on the smooth floor. Anna stares, wide-eyed. Her jaw is slack and her tongue feels too thick and slow to form words, or even sounds.

"Don't! Don't come any closer," her sister whimpers, turning her head to the side and clenching her eyes shut. Her hand still covers her mouth and her fingers are trembling, shoulders still shaking.

_"Please."_

Now she can't mistake the look for anything else but shame.

Anna inhales sharply, tears prickling the corners of her eyes.

Rejection is bitter and acrid.

"Elsa—"

And then she _smells_ it—recognizes what it is in the dark, candlelit space of her bedchambers.

Arousal, hot and heavy, cuts through the frosty air.

Anna gapes at Elsa, who curls further into herself.

_How did this happen?_

* * *

It's winter in Arendelle.

The sea and mountains have brought strong freezing winds this season and the windows shake with the force of them. The howling and roaring from beyond the walls is prominent against the complete and utter _silence _of the castle. Every servant inside barely spares her a word or a glance. Most likely, it's because they feel sorry for her. Words of comfort sound hollow after so long, even when they are sincere. It only serves to amplify her loneliness and each pitying look is met with too quick a smile. To mitigate them—after a time, the pity makes something inside her prickle uncomfortably.

Her birthday is right around the corner and every day that passes weighs heavily on her shoulders. Not even Gerda or Kai know what to do about her unusually somber mood. Every single hop and skip to her step has faded over time, much like the sun's increasing disappearance behind the clouds. She misses summer.

The shadows are long and dark as she ascends the stairway to the third floor. Her shoes clack against the floor and the residue of frost nearly makes her slip in one or two places.

The entire place seems like a ghost town and as she walks down the long hallway, Princess Anna feels like she is no different from the departed.

It has been nearly a year since the death of the King and Queen and she feels no more past it than when they first received the message of their lost ship—the symbol of Corona blazing strongly on the horizon, their messenger bowing deeply at the waist and producing the letter that foretold of her parents' passing.

She can still recall the way the guard had paused when he saw her after his exit of her sister's room. His hazel eyes had widened a fraction before he stood upright, saluting her and then bowing before muttering his condolences.

"_My apologies, Princess Anna. The whole of Corona mourns your loss."_

At first, she hadn't understood what everyone kept saying _sorry_ for. Ever since she had woken up that day, every single maid and butler had given her sympathetic looks and each inquiry was met with vague muttering, shaking heads, and solid distance. After the Coronan soldier had left, she had turned straight to Elsa's door, a sinking feel in her gut, banging loudly, voice rising, screaming, _demanding_, "Won't you tell me what's going on?!"

Kai and Gerda had appeared by her side within minutes, grabbing her elbows and pulling her aside, saying:

"_Please Princess, your sister needs to be alone for now."_

"_Try to understand my dear, there's a reason for all things that happen."_

But that reasoning had done little to explain why she had stood alone between two sledges of stone, the fog obscuring her face and the bitter chill sinking under her skin like the stench of death.

And it had done little for her in the year following that and every day after.

And so it was that she stands here again, feet rooted to the spot she has visited so many times before. After so long, the geometric patterns on the wood are still fresh in her mind.

The wind whistles behind her, the ongoing weather in Arendelle has been harsh, but now it's temporarily soft. Patient.

Her fingers are numb, both from the cold and the ache in her heart, as she clenches them into fists at her sides. Her eyes track the cracks in the wood, spotting where her knuckles have made nicks, paint that has faded over time from constant knocks.

Anna inhales deeply, a tiny flicker lighting up in her chest, and releases the breath in a slow, shuddering exhale. She raises one of her cold, cold hands.

_Knock knock kno-knock._

"Elsa?"

The door remains shut.

Anna blinks once, twice. She licks her lips, the skin cracked because of the harsh wind, and swallows.

"I was wondering," Anna begins again, lowering her fist to her side, "if you wanted to join me for breakfast."

There's the creak of the floorboards.

Anna holds her breath.

It's gone within two beats.

There's a lump in her throat.

"I-I just thought," Anna stammers, clutching her skirt with numb fingers, "that since M-Mama and P-Papa aren't—"

Even _saying _it hurts, cuts like a knife, and when she stumbles over their names, the floor creaks again, more harshly this time.

Footsteps.

Her heartbeat quickens.

"I just thought that since we-we're a-alone now," the wind roars behind her, rattling a nearby window and nearly drowning out her voice, "we could spend some time together!"

Her shout ends the moment the wind dies down and so her words echo down the hallway.

Anna shivers, eyes flicking up and down at the door.

"They have sandwiches. The meat looks really fresh today, salmon fished straight from the shore this morning according to the chef!" Anna swallows, unsure what she's trying to accomplish. "There's this really sweet jam they laid out on the table," her numb fingers suddenly have feeling and they shake as she looks down at her shoes, unable to keep looking at the door. "I-I wasn't supposed to try some be-before breakfast started, but I was curious," Anna blinks at the thin shadow underneath the crack, "and I wanted to know what it tasted like so I could-" when did it become so difficult for her to speak?

Anna tucks a lock of hair behind her ear and looks straight at the door. "I wanted to know what it tasted like so I could describe it to you."

_Since you never come out._

The shadow shifts underneath. Anna's eyes widen by a fraction. She twiddles her cold fingers together, bites her lip, and asks, "Would you like to come down to the dining hall with me and try it?"

The floorboards creak again.

Her pulses quickens and she adds softly, "I'd like to have breakfast with you if you don't mind."

At of the corner of her eye, she sees snow start to fall gently outside the window.

She squares her shoulders, inhaling quietly and—

"Anna."

The sun peeks out from behind the clouds for a moment and light pools in the dim hallway, weakening the cold and shadows.

Anna's breath catches in her throat.

"Please," Elsa continues and her sister's voice is unrecognizable, yet familiar in such a way it makes her heart skip a beat. It sounds like a forgotten musical box, lyrical and gentle.

"Go on to breakfast without me."

The lid slams shut and the hallway darkens again, the sun vanishing behind the clouds once more. Her eyes burn and she blinks rapidly, heart skidding to a stop. Her fingers are numb again and she can barely feel the fabric of her dress as she grips it tightly.

"But, you need to eat something Elsa." She hasn't missed the decreasing portions her sister has taken to her room.

The shadow shifts underfoot and she can distinctly _hear_ her sister walking this time. The tiny flame in her chest burns like the tears prickling her eyes.

Behind her, the window pane rattles. The breeze howls more loudly.

"Tell Kai," Elsa begins again, voice hoarse and distant, "to bring something up for me."

She sees her chance and takes it.

"I could do it for him!" Anna exclaims, rising on the tips of her toes. "W-we could have breakfast in your room!"

She's so _sick_ of sitting at the long dining table, the chairs and plates empty save for her own, that she realizes her mistake too late.

The wind screeching outside makes her jump and her ears barely catch the following words.

"Anna please," the floorboards creak and her sister's shadow vanishes, "I have work to do."

Anna's shoulders drop, her fingers release her skirts and her arms hang limp.

_Why would she want to spend time with someone like you anyway? She's going to be Queen soon._

Her vision blurs, but the sudden draft dries her eyes. She shivers and nods to herself.

"Okay, I'll tell Kai to bring you something."

Her words are almost drowned out by the howling wind.

A storm comes to Arendelle this winter.

* * *

The following days are harsh. The cold brings sickness with it. Before, she would have leapt at the chance to build a snowman in the white winter wonderland that lies on the castle courtyard. Now, she turns away at the sight of snow on her window sill. Her head aches a bit and her footing is loose on the steps, although she reassures the staff that she is fine.

_"It's cold and the frost makes the floor slippery. That's all."_

Still, she neglects to say that even chocolate has a more bitter taste to it nowadays. Anna bites her lips and rolls the truffle between her fingers. Her stomach twists at the scent of it and she refrains from grimacing in front of the maids.

"Would you like me to bring you something else instead Princess?"

"Huh?" Anna glances up to see Gerda smiling at her, a kind and tired expression on the elderly woman's face. The light from the fireplace makes the wrinkles on her skin stand out and despite the dull thudding in her head, it warms Anna's heart to see the tender look on the head maid's face. She smiles, pushing aside the rolling in her stomach, and says, "No it's fine Gerda. Um, is it alright if I save these for later?" Gerda frowns and she hurriedly adds, "To eat in my room? I think I'm going to tuck in early today."

The maid sighs and, after a moment, nods. Her eyes are warm when she says, "Of course Princess. Perhaps it's better that way, you are looking a little flushed."

Anna beams and begins to wrap a few truffles in a napkin, which she places in a small velvet bag, when Gerda says:

"Please get a full night's rest Your Highness. We _all_ have noticed your sleeping habits."

Her fingers pause at tying the knot of a silk ribbon around the bag and her shoulders tense.

_We, _her mind repeats.

_Elsa._

Anna's lower lip quivers, but she ducks her head before Gerda can see and swiftly ties the knot together. The princess clears her throat and stands, beaming at the elderly woman.

"Don't worry Gerda I will!"

The staff moves to clean up her lone meal and she walks out cradling the bag of chocolates to her chest.

The hail batters the windows and roofs. Even at the heart of the castle, the screeching and howling is obvious. She takes careful measure to check each stair as she ascends. It wouldn't do good for her to slip and fall on her precious bundle. Anna squints, counts one, two, three, and makes it to the third floor despite her headache and slightly blurry vision.

"Okay," the princess says to herself. Her shoulders straighten and she stares straight down the hall. "I can do this. It's late. She's probably done with all of her duties for today. She should be going to bed soon. A little snack would be harmless, right?"

Still, as she makes her way down, the turn looming closer, Anna feels it grow colder. The warmth she felt from the dining fireplace dims and even the shadows grow darker.

She shudders and rounds the corner, eyes squeezing shut as a particular throb bursts in her head, the pulsing painful and sudden.

A voice gasps.

Anna's eyes shoot open.

A lone figure stands at the other end of the hallway.

Clothed in her dark, royal purple dress, Elsa is almost invisible in the shadows. However, the surrounding black, gray, and white makes her light hair glow a brighter gold—a shining beacon. Anna, so unaccustomed to seeing Elsa actually outside her room without prompting, is struck speechless. Her eyes zoom in on her sister's face. Even from this distance she can tell that her older sister has grown. Her form is slim and though the thick fabric conceals most of it, Anna can see the flare of wide hips at her sister's waist. Baby fat has disappeared from her features and her cheekbones are high and prominent. A part of her prays it isn't from skipped meals and is just her sister's natural beauty that has taken shape. The fine, delicate strands of her hair are wrapped in an elegant, tight bun. Her neck is left bare and Anna's eyes are drawn to it like a a moth to a flame. The pale skin is startling, unconcealed by dress and gloves, and for some reason it makes her heart jump. Her throat dries and when she gulps to wet it, it feels sore. Elsa's blue eyes shoot down to watch the action and her sister frowns. Her thin eyebrows knit together and her eyes flicker in concern. But Anna is distracted by the purse of her lips—full and cherry-red.

All the blood in her head rushes down and her world spins. Her mouth drops open and her grip on the chocolates slackens. They tumble to the ground as she stumbles, clutching her head.

Elsa's frightened gasp jerks her back to reality. Anna groans and shakes her head, blinking rapidly. She stares at Elsa and her heart jumps again when she notices her sister has one hand reached out to her, half-turned and blue eyes wide with worry.

Anna's lips wobble into a smile and she gives a tiny wave. "Hi..."

Elsa's back stiffens and then straightens. Anna's eyes dip down to track the small bounce of her chest. The blood in her veins travels farther south and with a sharp inhale, Anna realizes that, that part too has grown.

"Elsa—" Anna begins, voice straining.

Elsa gives her a wide-eyed look of horror, gloved hands instinctively drawn to her chest.

The action stings. Anna grimaces and shifts her weight, one foot rising.

Elsa bolts.

"Elsa, wait!"

The princess rushes forward, chocolates forgotten, but Elsa is already at her door, grasping the knob and swinging it open.

"Wait, please!" Anna shoots down the hallway, one hand already out to grasp her sister's skirts.

Her footing slips; the floor slippery from condensed cold. Her world spins again and her chin meets the ground with a harsh crack. Anna cries out, pain flaring at the spot and stars dance in her vision. She bites her tongue in the process and tastes blood when she swallows.

"Anna!" Elsa gasps and Anna hears footsteps hurrying to her side.

She blinks back at the pain just as hands help her up.

"Wait, what?"

"Princess," Kai's voice is at her ear, tugging her down the hallway. "Please come with me. We need to have a look at that injury."

"But—" Anna angles her head to see Elsa at her door, fingers splayed—as if she had intended to catch her.

The princess's jaw tightens and her chin throbs again. She winces and Elsa's face blanks.

Kai tugs on her elbow, turning to address her sister. "Your Majesty, I'm going to have this looked at. Please excuse us."

_Wait, no!_

Anna opens her mouth to protest, but her jaw aches and blood trickles at the side of her lips. She whimpers and her fingers brush the sore spot.

Out of the corner of her eye she sees Elsa straighten.

"Yes, of course. Make sure it's treated properly."

The hard-edged words hurt more than the bruise forming on her chin.

Anna gapes, but she can't find anything to say before Kai drags her away. Elsa's blue eyes meet her once before they disappear.

The door shuts behind her and she stumbles, still faintly light-headed, as Kai takes her back down to the first floor. Everything's a blur until the butler seats her in a chair in the infirmary. Her hands immediately move to rest on her lap and her back bows, shoulders rising to her ears in her misery.

"Now let's have a look at that shall we?" Kai sits down opposite of her and scoots forward, frowning. He gently grasps her chin and she winces. His frown deepens and he turns her head this way and that.

"Now then, it doesn't look so bad. It's going to bruise badly, but it's not broken." Kai looks over his shoulder as the doctor appears from his office, a scowl on his wrinkled face.

"What's happened now—" His beady, black eyes hone in on Anna and she snaps her mouth shut, tensing when it aches again.

"Ah," he says in understanding.

Anna lowers her head in defeat and sniffs.

"Don't cry Princess. We'll have you cleaned up in no time," Kai says, stroking her shoulder gently.

Anna bites her lip and shakes her head, muttering, "Why does she hate me?"

Doctor Halvard whips his head up from unrolling a bandage. Kai frowns again and exchanges look with the older man. Anna cringes and looks down at her lap. Her fingers press into her lap and her shoulders twitch.

_Wrong move._

Still, the slight ache in her lap distracts her from the throbbing in her chin and chest.

"Come now Princess," Halvard says, tilting her head up and wiping at the skin with a cotton ball and disinfectant. She doesn't flinch, accustomed to the sting of alcohol. "Your sister does not hate you. She's simply been busy with her duties."

Anna closes her eyes, letting the gentle rubbing wash over her.

"And she'll be Queen soon," Kai says and he pats her knee. "There are many things that she has to do."

_And spending time with her annoying and weird __baby sister isn't one of them._

Anna swallows and nods. The doctor finishes cleaning her up and bandages the cracked skin. He hums and inspects her one last time. "Anything else?"

"I bit my tongue," Anna mumbles, glancing down.

"I don't think you need a bandage for that," he grunts. "If that's all then off to bed with you. And sleep early this time. Don't think I haven't gotten complaints about your health from everyone in this castle!"

Anna grins sheepishly and it's the first smile in a long time that Kai chuckles.

"I think sleep can wait a bit. How about I draw you a nice hot bath Princess?"

Halvard humphs, but Anna looks to her butler and her smile softens, lips trembling.

"Okay."

They both stand and he gently holds her hand. Anna squeezes it and they're almost out the door when the doctor says, "Before you go, take this!" He shoves a tonic into Anna's hands. "And this!" A roll of extra bandages joins her medicine. "Knowing you that first one will be on the floor soon so take extras. And I've heard you sneezing! Take that tonic before bed."

Anna makes a face and Kai laughs.

The trek back to her room is uneventful. With Kai keeping a steady hand on her elbow, there's no chance of her slipping again. She worries her lip as they round the corner to her room.

The door, slightly ajar, reminds her of something. Anna stops before it and tugs on Kai's hand. He pauses, halfway through opening it, and looks at her.

"What's wrong Princess?"

Anna lets go of his sleeve and clutches her dress, tucking her medicine and bandages to her chest. She stares at her shoes, mumbling, "Kai, when Doctor Halvard said..._everyone_, did he," she pauses and bites her lip, glancing away, "uh, mean _everyone?_"

Kai stares at her, a small smile on his face. He pats her back and pushes the door open.

"Everyone, Princess," he affirms, and then strides to the connected bathroom.

_Elsa,_ her heart sings and she trembles, looking down at her hands and recalling the way Elsa had shouted.

The bath being drawn makes her look up and Kai pokes his head back into the main chamber. "Anything else, Your Highness?"

"Um, could you bring a book up for me? I've read all I have here."

He smiles and nods. "Certainly. Which one?"

Anna fidgets and glances away, feeling a flush on her cheeks. _It's just a little fever. _

"Any."

He nods again and goes back inside to check the water's temperature. Anna steps inside her room and shivers immediately. Her teeth chatter and she's reminded it's winter.

"Cold," she whimpers, letting go of her dress and rubbing her arms furiously. She's tempted to just crawl into bed and lie under the covers, but the water's already drawn so instead she just places her things on top of her nightstand.

Kai pokes his head out again and frowns. "I think I'll get you some extra blankets too. I could have sworn we closed your room to keep the warmth in. One of the staffs must have left it open."

Anna shivers and nods, bringing her legs in close. Her thighs press together and she feels that slight, pleasant ache from before again.

"Will that be all Princess?" Kai asks as he exits the bathroom.

She still has one more question rolling around in her mind. Something that's been bothering her ever since she first spotted Elsa earlier. But when she opens her mouth, a draft blows in and she bolts to the bath, shouting, "That's fine!"

He laughs and she hears her bedroom door click shut as she enters the bathroom. Steam rises from the warm water and she sighs in relief at the sight of it. Anna makes quick work of undressing, fingers pulling at laces and buttons until her clothes pool at her feet and she stands in only her underwear. She reaches down to pull off her bloomers when another breeze blows around her. She shudders and looks out the window, into the dark of the night where snow is falling fast. Anna bites her lip.

"I hope Elsa is warm in her room..."

The thought of her sister shivering in her room alone makes her stomach wrench.

_If only I could be with her._

She inwardly cringes and shakes her head, muttering to herself while undoing her braids. Anna reaches down and pulls off her bloomers and the winter cold immediately hits her privates.

"Cold, cold, cold!"

At any other time she would have been embarrassed to be dancing on her toes with her cock bobbing up and down ridiculously, but her room really _is_ strangely cold. Colder than any other part of the castle she has been in today. So without thinking Anna rushes to the bathtub and leaps over the rim. Water sloshes over the side as she sinks in and she sighs at the warmth that immediately surrounds her. Then she blinks and touches her chin, pressing her fingers against the gauze. Her jaw aches and the wrap is damp.

Anna smacks her forehead, grumbling, "Ugh, Anna, you idiot!"

The gauze still holds, but she's going to have to change it soon. She grabs a small towel from beside the bathtub, quickly patting at her jaw. With the bandage as dry as it can get, Anna places the towel back and settles within the bath.

The water reaches just to her sternum and she can feel the slight fever ache that's been hanging over her body dissipate. The goosebumps on her skin disappear and the princess tucks her body in close, not even caring when she squeezes the head of her cock between her thighs. Anna closes her eyes and leans her head back.

The image of her sister's breasts bouncing under her stiff jacket comes back with startling clarity.

Anna gasps and jumps upright, face flushing.

"No, no, no. Bad idea to think about Anna," she hisses, moving to grab the soap and rag.

As she lathers the cloth she catches a glimpse of the white-covered rooftops of Arendelle from outside the window and smiles faintly to herself.

_Elsa's hair and skin were pale like snow. So beautiful, like something out of a fairy tale._

Her sister's long and elegant neck, almost completely concealed by her dress, the white flesh emphasized by its dark cloth, flashes through her mind.

The soap drops to the bottom of the tub and she scrambles to pick it up, face burning and blood roaring in her ears. She finds the bar between her legs and as her hands work to grasp the slippery object, her fingers brush against her shaft.

A shock runs up her spine.

Anna gasps again and shuts her eyes, letting the tingle wash over her. Swallowing thickly, she sits back and picks up the soap, hands trembling as she scrubs it with the rag. She bites her lip, running the rag over her arms. When she passes the cloth over her bare chest, another jolt shoots down her spine. Anna gnaws her lip, glancing down to see her nipples perk up.

"It's just from the cold," she mutters, scrubbing the rag over her front as quickly as possible.

Still, the flush on her skin deepens as she parts her legs. Anna inhales sharply when she sees that she's half-hard. It aches a bit and she sees the tip twitch.

"Stupid thing," she grumbles, rubbing the cloth furiously over her legs. Her thighs twitch when she reaches between herself and she squirms as she runs the rag over her shaft once.

Blood shoots down at the feel of the rough fabric trailing over her sensitive underside. Anna shuts her eyes for a moment and lets out a tiny moan. Her hand lingers at the tip. Staring down at her fingers, the rag covering the head of her prick, she's reminded of Elsa's gloves.

_I wonder what they would feel like..._

She shivers at the idea of Elsa without her gloves. Her fingers twitch when her mind flashes with the image of running her hands over Elsa's skin.

_Soft. I bet Elsa's hands would be really soft._

For some reason, she thinks her older sister would blush and that, in turn, brings a strange heat to her cheeks and an indiscernible ache in her lower belly.

_I want to see that._

Anna groans when she feels the blood pool in her cock and before her eyes, her shaft swells and hardens to the fullest. The princess inhales softly and tightens her grip on the head. Anna's teeth sink harder on her lower lip, nearly drawing blood, as another shock runs up her spine.

"Oh," Anna moans quietly and trails her hand down. Her thighs flex as a pleasant ache begins in her lower region. She grips the rim of the tub with her free hand and raises her legs, parting them.

Each foot rests on the side and she breathes in deeply, pausing for a moment. Anna tilts her head back and closes her eyes. She throws the rag over the rim and it plops to the ground with a distinct, wet thud. Anna pants a bit and looks between her legs, surmising that she's fully erect and there's no chance of her cock becoming flaccid any time soon. The pleasant, dull ache has become a noticeable hurt. Anna hisses and lifts her head from the rim, staring at herself.

_What do I do now? Last time this happened was when I was reading that one book. It didn't go down until I—_

Her sister's slim form flashes through her mind again, at the end of the hallway and out of her reach, clothed in shadow and dreamlike.

Anna's whole body shudders and the tip of her cock quivers at recalling the flare of Elsa's hips, the graceful curve of her waist. Slowly, she trails a hand down her torso, splaying her fingers over her lower belly before the tips meet with the base of her shaft. Her hand barely brushes against the hardened organ when she imagines her sister's breasts again and how they had seemed _fuller. _The last time she had gotten a clear picture of Elsa, her sister had yet to really develop. Even clothed by her stiff jacket, there had been a noticeable swell in her chest and waist.

And they had _bounced!_

A powerful shock races down her spine, sparking nerves in her lower back. Her hips buck and she gasps.

Anna clenches her eyes tightly, closing her hand around herself. She whimpers in relief at the firm grip—it eases the pain. She strokes up once with purpose, imagining her hand gliding along the arch of her sister's neck, tracing pale skin and reaching up to sink her fingers into an intricate bun.

The heat in her body intensifies and the pain brought on by her erection becomes almost unbearable.

_I should hurry. Kai will be back soon._

Steadying herself with a slow inhale, Anna begins to run her hand up and down. The water makes her strokes easy, but the slickness provides a lack of friction. She pants, frowning as she tries to rub harder. Pleasure shoots down her spine with each pass of her hand and she bucks into her grip, moaning. Anna shivers and tilts her head to the side, squeezing her head and teasing the slit.

Electricity finally alights her nerves and her eyes shoot open.

"Oh!"

Anna shivers, tremors washing over her and her cock twitching in response. Her heart jumps and she looks down between her legs.

The hollow of her sister's cheeks runs through her mind. Anna wonders if Elsa's blush would deepen if she gently caressed her sister's face with her thumb.

Her finger presses hard against her head and Anna feels sweat begin to bead on her forehead.

"F-faster," she mumbles, fingers dragging down to the base roughly. "I-I should- oh! Faster!"

Her nails dig into the underside and this time she groans loudly, the sensation sparking in her lower regions delightful despite the pain.

_I want to feel Elsa's skin..._

She grits her teeth, ignoring the ache in her jaw and quickens her strokes. The water swishes with every movement and her elbow thumps against the tub in her haste to finish.

In her mind's eye, she moves her fingers down Elsa's face, tracing along her jawline to brush against the corner of her mouth.

Underneath her hand, her cock jerks and she bucks her hips, friction lighting up that familiar burn in her stomach. A knot just below the base of her shaft begins to coil and she tilts her head back, staring at the ceiling, mouth open.

Anna groans when she imagines the softness of Elsa's lips, full and red_. _She _throbs _when she recalls big, blue eyes staring at her. Shocks run down her spine, each accompanying the rhythmic stroking of her hand. She whimpers, feeling a deep heat warming her lower belly.

"Oh, I can't take it!"

Her other hand shoots down and she grips her shaft tightly, pumping with all her might. Her hips thrust forward erratically and water spills over the rim of the tub. She can feel the knot of pleasure tightening at the base, spreading.

_Almost. Almost!_

Something crashes to the floor and Anna shrieks, legs falling off the side in surprise. The princess gets a face full of water and she splutters, flushing deeply.

"Princess Anna are you alright?!"

Kai's voice brings her back to reality and she struggles to sit upright in the tub.

"I-I'm okay! I was just surprised is all!" Anna calls back, tucking her legs in close and wrapping her arms around herself. Her stiff cock aches for attention, but she ignores it.

Instead, she ducks her head down, shivering when Kai pokes his head into the bath. There's a worried frown on his face and he bows apologetically.

"I apologize Princess. I knocked over the screen changer while setting out your wardrobe for the night. I didn't mean to frighten you."

Anna mentally cringes and tries to keep the strain out of her voice as she says, "No, no, it's fine!"

She rubs her thighs together and her legs practically turn to jelly when faint pleasure travels up her pelvic region.

"I was just finishing," Anna mumbles, and prays Kai thinks she's only red because of the bath.

"I see. Well I brought you a few books from the library and an extra set of blankets like I promised."

He frowns again, tilting his head at her. Anna's skin crawls and she curls into a tighter ball.

_Oh god don't tell me he noticed._

"Would you like me to fix up your chin again?"

She's so relieved that she almost slumps to the bottom of the tub.

"No, no I can do it by myself. I know how by now," Anna mumbles, smiling sheepishly.

Kai smiles, dips into a bow, and says, "Very well, then allow me to drain the water and I'll take my leave."

"O-oh! Sure!" Anna scrambles to grab a towel, flustered. "J-just give me a second!"

"Of course your Highness," Kai says, backing into her bedroom respectfully. He shuts the door, something she's glad for because she forgot to close it and now she's realized the draft has made the water go cold.

Anna trembles as she exits the tub. Her stiff cock brushes the rim, but instead of feeling ecstasy at the short moment of friction, guilt slams into her like a horse at full gallop.

Goosebumps rise on her skin as she stands in the cold, hands shaking furiously as she wraps the towel around her.

_What was I thinking?! How! How could I think of Elsa like that? When I was doing __**that **__of all things!_

Anna swallows, shame burning into her skin. Despite the briskness that sinks into her bones, heat scorches her face. A glance down shows that her erection has yet to deflate. She clutches her towel tighter to her body and tries vainly to smooth down the obvious bump. The slight pressure only makes her shiver and her guilt worsens at the response.

"Ugh, okay. I'll just...cover myself." Anna bites her lip and dries her hair with a small towel. When done, she wraps her arms around herself tightly, making sure to cover her pelvic region and calls out to Kai, "I'm finished Kai!"

Footsteps near the door and she launches herself at the wall beside it, nearly slipping in her haste.

It unlocks and she shrinks against the wall, hoping the cold emanating from the stone will ease her erection.

Kai blinks curiously, tracking his eyes up and down her body and she smiles awkwardly, her ears reddening at the tips.

_Please don't ask, please don't ask, please don't ask!_

She doesn't even want to _think _about how she was imagining her sister while masturbating.

The blunt realization makes the guilt coil tightly in her stomach and to her horror, her cock twitches against her thigh.

Kai frowns and walks to the bathtub. Palpable relief shoots through her and she's almost out the door when he speaks up.

"Will you be staying up for long Princess?"

Anna freezes in place. Something in Kai's tone makes her blood turn to ice. She shifts, cupping her front while half-turning. "Er, no I'll just do some light reading."

He hums as he fiddles with the tap, draining the cold water from the bathtub. Anna tip toes out, looking over her shoulder to make sure he doesn't turn around.

"Remember what I said though Princess."

She halts in front of the screen changer, shoulders stiff. "I'm not s-sure what you mean Kai," Anna stammers, swiping her nightgown from where it hangs atop the screen changer and hurries around it, frantically searching her mind for something she might have missed.

She hears him step back into her bed chambers and her fingers shake as she fusses with the towel and her clothes.

"Everyone has noticed your sleeping habits so please take care to rest early tonight," Kai says and she hears the door open.

Elsa's wide, concerned blue eyes flash through her mind. Guilt crawls up her throat and she winces, shoulders hunching up to her ears.

_And here I am thinking about her like some sick pervert!_

"Also, make sure to take your tonic. It wouldn't do well for you to get sick since you're so susceptible to it during winter," Kai adds. She can see his shadow by the door.

Anna bites her lip and nods, mumbling, "I won't. Thank you for everything Kai."

"It was nothing. Goodnight, Princess," Kai says softly and she can hear the smile in his voice.

"Goodnight," Anna whispers.

The door shuts behind her and the resounding click of the lock is deafening within the sudden silence. Even the storm has died down. The wind howls softly and snow falls gently outside. Kai has made sure the candle on her nightstand is well-lit, but the solitary source of light just makes everything else seem dim. It's all too quiet and it leaves her with only her shame to think about.

She drops the towel to the floor, cringing when she sees that she's still not flaccid, and fumbles with the buttons of her nightgown. Anna slips it on and to her dismay, finds that it ends just above her knees.

"I think I've outgrown most of them," she mutters to herself, placing the towel aside and walking over to her vanity.

The bandage is soaked now and it's been itching her jaw since she slipped in the tub. She peels it off, wincing in pain when it irritates the cracked skin and bruise underneath. It's a dark, blueish purple by now and she's glad Elsa can't see the damage of her fall.

_I can't stop thinking about her no matter what I do._

She sits down, looking herself in the mirror. The flush on her skin is gone now and she looks pale and thin. The wound on her face only adds to her miserable loneliness. She brushes her jaw, the skin stinging when she does so. The castle feels haunted at night and Elsa's the ghost that drifts in her mind.

Perhaps, if she and Elsa had grown up closer, she wouldn't be having the thoughts she did.

_But I guess that's all my fault. I must have done something. Something to make her leave me._

Anna sighs, grabbing a brush and running it through her hair listlessly. Alone at last, she doesn't bother to cover the uplift of her dress. Frowning at it, Anna presses her hand into her cock and finds that the ache from her erection has lessened. It's less rigid and when her thumb absentmindedly rubs the head, she finds she's less sensitive.

"Good," Anna mumbles and places her brush back down to the vanity. Her fingers weave through her hair and she finds that it is free of tangles. Satisfied that her nightly routine is finished, the princess walks over to her bed and crawls on top of it. She grabs the bandages from her nightstand along with some medical tape from inside the drawer—she has had far too many accidents to not have some first aid within her own room—and begins to apply a fresh bandage. She doesn't flinch when she presses it onto her jaw, only remembers the horrified look Elsa gave her when she fell. Her heart throbs and she closes her eyes, tears burning at the corners.

_Maybe I'll leave her alone for a little while. That way she won't look at me with such a sad face the next time I see her. If I see her next time of course..._

Anna sniffs once and shakes her head. "Don't think like that."

_And maybe I won't think about how beautiful she looks and how much I want to touch her. _Her back straightens and her eyes fly open. A blush sweeps over her face and she blinks rapidly, the heat blooming inside her drying her tears. Anna shakes her head more firmly and reaches for her tonic. "Okay I'm stopping this whole idea right now." She uncorks the bottle and swirls the liquid inside a bit. "Medicine, book, then bed. No more of these thoughts," she hisses.

She picks up the spoon on her vanity (it isn't the first time Halvard has given her a tonic) and pours a generous amount. Then, in one gulp, she downs the whole spoonful. Anna splutters and makes a face at the bitter taste.

"Does this stuff really stop you from getting sick?" Grumbling, she puts the half-empty glass back on her nightstand and picks up the book Kai had brought up for her.

It's a fairy tale. She can tell by the cover.

Anna smiles slightly to herself and opens to a random page.

"_He could see the Princess's slim form outlined by the candlelight, her long, golden hair a faint glimmer in the surrounding darkness. The moon's glow made her pale skin seem ethereal and he found himself out of breath as he gazed upon her—"_

And immediately shuts it, her cheeks blushing. She brushes a lock of hair behind her ear, eyes flicking every which way. Her heartbeat quickens and she can feel adrenaline on the edge.

Anna shakes her head, muttering, "No, no, no. I'm not thinking like that anymore tonight."

Inhaling slowly, she re-opens to another page, deciding to skip that particular passage.

"_He caressed her face, tracing his thumb over her soft skin and leaned in close."_

Anna shuts the book again, rubbing her eyes and sighing. "Maybe this isn't such a good idea tonight." She turns, sidling closer to the edge and moving to place it back on her nightstand. "I think I'll just tuck in earlier."

A gust of wind shakes the window pane and she jumps, dropping her book in her surprise. It flaps open to a picture page and she stiffens at the sight.

The girl on the page bears a startling resemblance to her sister, with snow-white skin and a slender form. Bright blue eyes that suck her in immediately and high cheekbones that she can't help but trace her fingers over. There are some differences; her sister's hair is fairer, coiled tight in an intricate bun and not flowing freely down her back. Her eyebrows are darker and her hips are wider.

Anna's shoulders twitch when she recalls Elsa standing at the other end of the hallway, her shock at seeing her sister outside her room. She picks up the book and traces the curve of the princess's cheek with her fingers.

She wonders again if Elsa would blush if she caressed her face. In her mind's eye, her hand reaches out and strokes the curve of one cheek, thumb rubbing a slow, light circle on the freckles splattered on her sister's face. Anna feels her own cheeks warm and she sits back against the pillows as she continues to stare at the maiden's face. The picture slowly reconstructs before her.

Golden hair lightens and curls tightly, raveling atop an elegant neck and pale features. Blue eyes take on any icy hue and goosebumps slowly rise on Anna's skin. Her thumb continues slow, small circles on the page and the chill in her room, coupled with the wind howling outside and the harsh winter in Arendelle, makes her think that Elsa's skin would feel cold.

_I want to warm it._

Anna's breath hitches and her heart skips a beat. The blush on her cheeks spreads down her neck and the blood in her veins travels south. The pillows are soft and supple on her back and she leans into them, imagining the swell of breasts pressing into her shoulder blades. A small draft ruffles the pages of her book and she shivers, the breeze reminiscent of a soft breath ghosting over the shell of her ear.

A whimper travels up her throat when she thinks of Elsa caressing her cheek in return, gloved fingers tracing her jaw, soothing the wound on her chin.

Anna shudders and looks down at her lap when she feels a familiar throb. Her cock twitches beneath her dress and when she presses her right hand to it, a jolt runs up her spine. She's getting hard again and this time she doesn't think her erection will recede.

Anna gnaws on her lower lip, sitting upright again and mumbling, "O-okay. It's okay, I'm alone now for sure." She scoots to the edge of her bed and places her book back on the nightstand. "No interruptions this time."

The picture of a girl's face, blonde hair and blue eyes, wrapped in shadow, seals her decision.

_Just this once. One time and I'll never think of Elsa like that ever again._

Anna squirms when her sister's name flashes in her mind. She longs to say it, drag her tongue over the syllables, lock it away in her heart, and desperately wants to hear Elsa whisper her own name in return.

The ache from her growing erection intensifies and she gasps when she looks down, fingers digging into the edge of her bed. The head of her cock creates a tent in her dress and her cheeks darken at the sight. She's never been this hard before. Even in the bath, she hadn't swelled so fast. The throbbing pain is almost unbearable—and yet addicting with how much it's begging to be soothed.

Anna inhales slowly and nods. "Just this once," she repeats to herself.

Then, with a shaking hand, she reaches below her nightgown. Her guilt still lies at the edges of her mind, too raw and humiliating for her to look at herself.

Anna's breath hitches again when she runs her thumb lightly over the base of her shaft. She digs in where her cock meets her scrotum and the slight pressure sends tingles all over. Heat begins to slowly consume her, dispelling the cold in her room until the only ice that she heeds is the blue of Elsa's eyes.

Anna gasps when she thinks of her sister watching her. The guilt rises in her chest at the same time a shock shoots up from her pelvic bone, making her vision blur for a bit. She wraps her hand around the base and squeezes. Her shoulders shake as a pleasant shiver crawls up her spine.

Anna bites her lip, staring down at her lap and the obvious bulge made from her fist and erection. A chill runs over her skin, cooling her cheeks momentarily and she wets her dry lips. She rubs a small circle where the large pulsing vein on the underside of her cock starts and tightens her grip on the edge of the bed when the pleasure begins to burn in her stomach. Her breathing quickens when she recalls how much she thought about caressing Elsa's face in the bath and now that same hand is once again stroking her erection, kindling the fire inside her. Guilt lingers in the recesses of her mind, but it's slowly being pushed back by the pleasure mounting within her.

Anna shudders and parts her legs, stroking up once. Elsa's figure solidifies in her mind, clothed in that concealing, purple dress that she wears even on the hottest of days.

_How hot would it have to be for her to wear something else?_

A tremor runs through her as she imagines herself, gangly and awkward, peeling away the sleeves of her sister's jacket, exposing pale, sunlight-starved skin to her eyes, hungry and awed. She hears Elsa gasp softly and sees her gloved hands wringing together instinctively. Anna moans, small and low, as she imagines reaching down and steadying her sister's trembling fingers. Elsa stares at her and Anna whines as the nonexistent gaze threatens to freeze her, the blue in her eyes so cold it _burns_.

Anna bites her lip and her fist circles her head, the heel of her palm digging against the crown. Her erection is demanding, _throbbing_ for attention and she can't delay it any longer. She looks over her shoulder quickly, to make sure the door is still locked. It is.

The momentary respite—like the calm before a storm—reminds her that it's winter in Arendelle. The candle on her nightstand has dimmed and when she exhales her breath comes out in a fog. The brisk chill stings her skin, but it doesn't matter when her body is so flushed, so ready and heated that sweat begins to bead on her forehead.

Anna scoots back on the bed a bit, the shift making her tip rub against her dress. The minuscule friction is gratifying, but it only leaves her wanting more. Cheeks red, Anna spreads her legs farther apart and strokes down, more firmly this time. She sighs when pleasure burns in her lower abdomen, light shivers tingling along her spine.

The image of Elsa is accompanied by the cold and the sensations it brings makes her sigh. Anna closes her eyes as she runs her hand back up to her head, thumb stroking and digging into the crown, seeking the slit that parts her skin. Her legs twitch when she feels pre-cum beading on the tip. Anna moans louder and picks up the pace of her hand.

_I want to—_

The delicious friction is followed by the image of Elsa again. Only this time, Anna pulls her sister close, gloved hands gripping her elbows and full lips breathing into her ear. Anna gasps, squeezing the swollen head of her cock as she pictures the full length of their torsos pressing together, Elsa's supple breasts rubbing against her chest. The barrier of their clothes makes her whine and she thrusts her hips into her hand this time. Something creaks when she does and another draft races over her, but she dismisses the sound as being the noise of her bed springs and the chill is because her room is _cold._

_But I'm hot. So hot._

Anna groans, head lolling and eyes fluttering shut.

"El-Elsa," she whimpers, trembling, fingers tight around her shaft. "It's h-hot Elsa."

She jerks her hand up and down faster, cock slick with dripping pre-cum and throbbing in her hand. The vein on the underside pulses beneath her fingers and she digs her nails into it.

Lightning dances up and down her spine.

"Oh, Elsa!" Anna squeals and lets go of the edge of her bed. She falls back, breathless. Her blood roars in her veins and she squirms, hips lifting to continue the tortuous friction brought on by her hand and the mental image of her sister.

She's _hot. _Burning.

And she wants nothing more than to share that heat with her sister.

The realization turns her blood to liquid fire and Anna moans, sweat rolling down her temples as she thrusts into her hand, fingers dragging up and down her shaft. The bed creaks with the force of the eager and erratic lunges of her pelvis.

Elsa flashes through her mind again and this time Anna feels her sister reach toward _her _instead. She groans, rolling her hips and squeezing her shaft as she thinks of Elsa caressing her face, running her finger over her lips. She pants and hears Elsa breathe along with her, whispering incomprehensible words. Anna hisses between gritted teeth as a particular stroke makes her grip the sheets.

Something creaks again and she hears the wind whistle and roar outside. She jumps a bit and lifts her head, gazing out the window. Snow is coming down faster and she shivers when she realizes how cold it is. Anna's chest heaves and her gaze moves to her candle. The tiny flame is dying and she stops thrusting to sit upright for a moment. Her cock twitches and throbs, practically screaming for renewed attention. The ache from it makes her shudder as she crawls to relight her candle. Her fingers tremble with the matches and when she sparks the wicker again she notices that her left hand is wet. Anna bites her lip, nostrils flaring as she stares at her palm. Her cock pulses against her thigh, aching and _so _swollen, and she scoots farther back onto the bed, closer to the middle now so that her legs don't dangle over the edge and she can attend better to her needs.

There was no real reason for her to relight her candle, but Anna doesn't trust herself with her thoughts, alone in the dark.

_What would I see if everything was gone but you Elsa?_

"O-oh," Anna whimpers as her hand slips under her robe again, trailing down her belly to where her erection lays.

Elsa suddenly reappears in her mind again, close to her, panting, eyes closed, cheeks pink, and full lips whispering.

_"Anna."_

Anna's hand shoots down and she grabs her cock tightly, stroking with fervor.

"El-_saaaa_," the princess whines, digging the soles of her feet into the sheets. Her legs part and cold air seeps through the opening of her gown. She groans and shivers when the draft meets her sweaty, slick skin. The bed creaks and bounces again as she resumes her stroking and thrusting, hips rolling and lifting to meet her hand. The pleasure coiling into a knot at the base of her shaft makes her abdominal muscles quiver.

"E-Elsa," Anna pants and her spine pops when she arches. The bed thumps beneath her when she comes back down and she's lightheaded, trying to reach for something intangible. She lifts her free hand from the sheets, fingers flexing and needing to grasp something—_something so far away_.

_If only I could hold her!_

Her desire sends a jolt of fear, guilt, and pleasure throughout her whole body and Anna groans, eyes rolling in her head as she hears the wind whistle outside, her ears picking up a faint voice.

"_Anna. Oh god, Anna."_

Needing something to grip, her free hand comes down to her chest, taking a nipple and tweaking it. It sends sparks behind her closed eyelids and she hisses, bucking into her stroking hand. The fabric of her nightgown dulls the feeling so she hurriedly undoes a few buttons, the process messy and uncoordinated due to her constant thrusting. Anna mewls when the cold air hits her bare chest and her fingers run over her nipples—lightly at first and then with more vigor—trying to appease both stiff peaks at the same time.

Her hand reaches up and her fist swirls around her head, squeezing now and then. Pre-cum from the slit has made stroking herself easy and she jerks her hand until her wrist begins to ache.

By now she's blocked out the howling wind outside and even the creaking from her bed is distant. The only thing she's aware of is the sweat making her hair and clothes stick and the pleasurable knot curling in the base of her shaft and scrotum.

"_Anna. Ah-nnaaa."_

Elsa's voice, breathy and panting in her ear, makes her writhe.

Anna twists, jerking her head to the side, mouth open. Her chest heaves with every breath now and white-hot pleasure races up her spine like lightning. She gasps, shuddering, toes digging into the sheet and right hand squeezing a pink nipple.

"Elsa! O-oh, _Elsa_," Anna groans, thrusting into her hand. Her fingers drag up and down her shaft, slick, smooth, and causing enough friction that heat tightens deliciously in her stomach. Everything is coiling inside her, ready to snap. Her stomach muscles twitch and flex.

"Close," Anna mutters to herself, eyes shut, "So c-close."

She arches her back, legs straining to hold her weight. With every thrust, jerk, and bounce of her hips, the knot coiling and building in her lower regions grows tighter. Spots dance behind her eyelids as she writhes on the bed; blue, white, purple, and gold.

Her older sister's name spills from her lips like a holy mantra.

"_Elsa!_ Elsa, Elsa, Elsa!"

Anna groans, rolling her head back. Sweat runs down her neck and cold bites at flushed skin. The image of white-gold locks tickling her collarbone makes her eyes fly open in surprise.

"Oh!" Anna gasps, squeezing the base of her cock in surprise. Her shaft quivers in her pumping hand.

_What was __**that**__?!_

Anna swallows, staring up at the ceiling. The candlelight still burns brightly and the shadows that flicker around her are comforting somehow.

_Maybe it's because no one knows what I'm doing._

It's a freeing, uplifting realization, like she's in the eye of the storm and everything is almost over.

Anna jerks her hand up, harshly, thighs twitching. The winter chill sinks under her robe and the mix of pain and pleasure along her pelvis makes her whimper.

She shifts, her right hand reaching down—letting go of swollen nipples—and grabbing a fistful of her skirt. She yanks the hem up, revealing her hard cock to her own eyes, but instead of feeling shame and guilt at how she's been imagining Elsa, there's only warmth and desire; _need_. Anna shivers and drags her finger up to the head. Her thumb rubs circles on the slit and she imagines white gloved fingers reaching down and wrapping around the base of her shaft.

Anna clenches her eyes shut, biting her lip. Silk travels up the underside, tickling the pulsing vein there. Full, feather-soft lips kiss her ear, whispering words of comfort.

_"Are you almost there Anna? Are you close?"_

"Y-yes. Yes, so close!" Anna whines, shaking her head to and fro. The faint scent of perfume clings to her nostrils and velvet fabric sits along her waist, thighs pushing her down into the bed.

_"Ssh. Ssh, Anna. I'm right here."_

Gloved fingers jerk her cock, pumping harder and faster than anything before. It makes her quake, thighs shaking as her right hand clutches the sheets beside her head. Anna whimpers, biting her lip as she thrusts meagerly into steady, firm hands. A sweet, distant voice cooes in her ear, breath ghosting over the side of her face as one hand slides up her erection. A gloved fingertip pauses over the slit of her head, circling it gently and rubbing sensitive flesh, pressing down after a moment. Anna gasps and squints through tear-stained eyes to watch pre-cum bead on the tip of her cock. The finger stationed there gathers up the leaking wetness and slides it down the underside before the whole hand wraps around her scrotum and squeezes.

"Oh god!" Anna sobs and throws her head back, vision blurring as silk continues to pump her mercilessly. The spots of color from before dance in her vision and the princess is sure she's going to pass out from the pleasure shooting up and down her cock. The knot that has been building in her lower abdomen shifts, traveling to the base of her shaft and coiling tightly.

_"Oh Anna, I'm right here Anna."_

Anna groans, nodding her head frantically. Her mouth hangs open and she struggles to breathe, trying to take in as much air as she can, trying to get as much oxygen as possible to her brain; to process something else _besides_ the almost unbearable pleasure mounting in her pelvis, underneath the skin. But the hand stroking up and down her erection and the fingers rolling and pinching her scrotum leave her breathless, chest rising and falling shallowly. All she can do is whisper and mumble fervently, "Yes, here. You're right here beside me! Oh, _Elsa!_"

Something touches her cheek, soft and cool and close—_so close_. Instinctively, Anna reaches up and pushes her nose into a clothed shoulder, nuzzling the skin just under a pale, fragile ear and inhaling the scent of fine white-gold hair. Something crisp, like peppermint, fills her nostrils and Anna closes her eyes. She mutters incoherently as she jerks her hips into gloved hands, the material sliding up and down her erection easily with how wet she is now.

_"Anna."_

Anna shakes her head, eyes darting back and forth rapidly beneath their lids. She whimpers as the hand at her base pauses, fingers delicately fondling her scrotum for a bit more before trailing upwards. The gentleness makes her calves twitch, legs parting and bending at the knees to expose more of herself. Her privates are immediately met with a cold breeze and she shivers, head twisting to the side. The hand going up stops and shifts back down, scraping lightly on the large pulsing vein, a tinkling sound like laughter emitting at her tiny show of desperation. When nails underneath silk scratch the sensitive underside of her cock, her thighs give a small jump and Anna is rewarded with one last caress and squeeze. She shudders, whining as the contact travels up again.

Air brushes over her face, the cold a stark contrast to the agonizing heat in her body.

_"Anna. Anna, my sweet sister."_

The pleasant weight atop her travels down, heavy skirts sliding over her sweaty and overheated skin. The gloved fingers jerking her grip the base of her shaft firmly. Anna reaches out blindly with her right hand, catching nothing but air.

_"Anna, look at me."_

Her eyes open just the tiniest bit. Sweat trickles down her brow and her whole body trembles, at the edge of her release.

She is so _close._

_"Look."_

And then, suddenly, she's pushed right over. Lips that no longer smile engulf the head of her cock, cold and frost and winter washing over her shaft as the knot of pleasure at the base unravels in seconds.

"ELSA!"

Anna screams as everything goes white. Her whole body arches, toes digging into the sheets, spine popping, and right hand clenching the covers with all her might. She squeezes her eyes shut, mouth open and panting. Lightning races through her body, sparking and alighting every nerve. She gives one final, weak thrust into a cold mouth, gloves squeezing her and finishing her off.

Anna's eyes fly open as she shoots into the air, semen splattering onto her trembling stomach. A few trails coat her dress and Anna glances down. Thick, milky liquid drips down the head of her cock, sliding down her pumping left hand.

Anna is breathless, shaken from her powerful orgasm. She lies there for several long moments, limbs heavy and exhausted. Her fingers finally let go, her erection deflating; sated at last. When her senses begin to return to her, she sighs. The cold makes her shiver, sweat and cum sticking to her clothes, bangs plastered to her forehead. The wind shakes trees and she sees snowflakes falling erratically outside her window when she turns to look. The white crystals stand out against the dark of the night. Her breathing is unsteady and rises in a few foggy wisps. Anna shifts, muscles sore and drained. Her hypersensitive cock brushes against her dress and stomach when she crawls up her bed, sliding under the covers and trembling from post-orgasm.

Anna closes her eyes and turns her head into her pillow, moaning weakly. "O-oooh. I'll clean up in the m-morning."

There's no one here to see her. She'll wipe away her guilt and shame when dawn breaks.

_And then, I'll never think of Elsa like that again. She won't ever know._

Her heart throbs painfully, but she pushes back her innermost wish.

Sleep is already at the edges of her consciousness and every inhale is followed by a pleasant, exhausting aftershock. Her breathing slows and she grabs a small pillow and cuddles it to her chest. Her left hand smells of sex, but she'll worry about that in the morning. For now, Anna tucks it in, curls up into a ball.

She's three steps into dreamland when she hears a quiet, shuddering gasp.

Her eyes fly open and she jolts up in bed, searching.

"Who's there?!"

Her breaths come out in puffs and her eyes are darting over every object in her room. The candlelight is dim and every shadow is beginning to make her pulse race. Anna gulps and glances at the window. It's closed, like it's been the whole time.

_But what if someone came in while I was bathing and Kai was out? _

She slowly slips off her bed, tense, and ears listening for any noise. If someone was here, they didn't want to be found out.

_Otherwise they would have done something while I was—_

Something creaks.

Anna inhales sharply, head snapping to stare at her wardrobe closet.

The door is ajar. Just open enough that she can see something move inside. Anna clutches the covers tightly, face paling and breath quickening.

_Where's the nearest blunt object?_

She reaches for her book. It's better than nothing and she can at least throw it at the assailant and cause a distraction while she runs for the door. Her feet touch the floor at last when she hears another noise.

A cry, soft and feminine; desperately trying to be stifled.

_That voice…_

Anna's heart beats rapidly against her chest and a bead of sweat rolls down her face.

_It can't be._

The cry comes again, from within her closet and this time she sees something—the _person_—shift inside. The moonlight from outside her window and the glow of her candle catch on something white.

Breath catching in her throat, Anna drops her book and strides purposefully towards her wardrobe closet. She knows that voice, even if she hasn't heard it often her brain has memorized its inflection and locked it away for safekeeping. To run towards whenever she hears it, like she's doing now.

And she recognizes the gloves even when she only catches the barest glimpse of them.

Anna swings open the door and the person—_girl_—inside stumbles in surprise and panic.

She pants, staring, gripping the door of her wardrobe closet with white knuckles.

Blue eyes stare back at her, horrified.

"Elsa?"

* * *

And here she stands, hand held out and jaw slack. Her sister's shoulders shake and the soft, tiny cries muffled by her glove makes Anna want to take her in her arms and soothe her.

"Elsa," Anna whispers and takes a tiny step forward. Her mind is reeling with the knowledge that Elsa has been in her room the whole time and that Elsa, her _sister_, has likely watched her writhe, moan, and thrust to the thought of her like a deviant.

The heady scent of arousal is, ironically, her only hope of mending things before they break.

"I-I can explain," Anna stammers, voice low and hoarse.

_From moaning and screaming her name! Something she __**knows.**_

Elsa's body slumps and her hand, the one not stifling her cries, wraps around her torso protectively.

Anna swallows, tears stinging her own eyes as she grips the closet door, widening the gap.

"I-It's not what you think," she whispers.

Elsa's eyes fly open and she stares at Anna. "N-Not w-what I-" she gasps, burying her face in her right hand and sobs, _sobs, _"Anna! Everything! I heard _everything._"

Guilt and shame slam into her at full throttle, making the tears fall. Anna splutters, gripping the hem of her dress. "I can explain! It's just-"

What _was _it?! The answer is lost even to her. Could she really be so lonely that she resorted to thinking of Elsa in such vulgar ways? She couldn't possibly be harboring those kinds of feelings for her sister. Her flesh and blood.

Bright blue eyes gaze at her, turbulent with fear and pain. Her heart freezes. She wants to take it all away, make sure Elsa never looks so small and vulnerable. Even if she's the cause.

_Could I?_

The possibility, another realization for the night, sweeps her off her feet. The storm of confusion threatens to overwhelm her and she whimpers.

"I don't know what happened..."

Elsa's tears stop. She blinks, slow, and her eyes look down. Anna watches, puzzled, as Elsa lifts her left hand and stares at it. She's still shaking all over and she just wants to hold Elsa close.

"No," Elsa whispers, voice distant.

Anna frowns and her heart starts beating in her chest again. Something inside her screams for her to move.

Elsa's fingers are trembling and the horror in her eyes grows. "You really don't know what happened," she says.

The words cut through her, slicing her in two, and striking her heart.

Perhaps she had been mistaken when she smelled arousal.

_Of course. There's no way Elsa would ever think like that. Not about me at least._

Anna's knees buckle and her grip on the closet door slackens. She stumbles to the cold, slippery floor and stares at Elsa, tears burning a path on her face. The icy ground bites into her skin, but it only makes up a tenth of the hurt she's feeling.

She wants to say _so much_. Ask for forgiveness, plead for her sister to forget all she heard and saw, and promise she'll purge herself out of whatever thoughts or feelings—_feelings!_—she might have.

But all that comes out is a choked sound.

"E-Elsa."

Elsa's gaze snaps down to her, eyes refocusing. She heaves, covering her mouth, and clutching the front of her chest. Anna reaches up, trembling, fingers hovering over her sister's skirts.

Her sister shudders and moves forward.

Hope burns like the dying candle on her nightstand.

Anna stares up at her sister, shivering as Elsa steps out, the sound of her shoes echoing in the still, silent room.

Elsa blinks down at her and a few tears fall again. She shakes her head and _runs._

Anna gapes and watches her sister stumble to the door, fumbling with the lock and throwing it open. It swings shut with the force of her haste. Her footsteps fade down the hallway and Anna crumbles into herself.

It's the first time she's let Elsa leave.

She wraps her arms around herself, needing warmth, and cries. Her tears blur her vision and everything melds into an array of shadows, shapes, and dimming candlelight.

Until something catches her eyes.

Anna chokes, blinking in confusion when she sees a small bag in her closet. Heaving, she stumbles forward and snatches it in desperation.

_Chocolates._

It's the bag she had dropped in the hallway.

_Elsa was returning it._

The sinking realization brings a fresh wave of tears. Her one chance to share something with Elsa and she ruined it.

_I ruin everything._

Anna slips to the cold floor, curls up, and sobs herself to sleep.

Outside, the storm thickens.


	2. The Surge

**A/N: **We apologize for the delay in updating. We hope this is worth the wait. For the most part, the labels from the first chapter apply to this chapter, save for two. Enjoy.

A simultaneous update has been posted on our tumblr.

**Contains: **Incest, masturbation, implications of voyeurism, dry humping, mild fingering

* * *

"I like Anna."

The Queen's words are soft, barely audible against the moaning wind. Elsa almost doesn't catch it.

She's six—nearly seven—when she's told there will be a change in the castle. It affects everyone in some way, big or small. The tailor is asked to begin a whole new assortment of clothes, to better suit the young princess's needs. The servants are thusly informed and any who oppose are let go from the staff. Her nanny doesn't seem bothered by it at all, something about having taken care of a great many children in her time. Kai and Gerda are steadfast in their love and loyalty to the Arendelle Royal Family.

So that leaves her.

The Queen places a hand atop her head.

Elsa glances up, away from the distracting, flushed round cheeks.

"What do you think dear?"

The Queen's eyes are gentle, an expectant smile on her face. The firelight casts a soft glow on her elegant features, shadows flickering over dark brown hair and pale skin. There's a tired look about her, likely from lack of sleep. The result of having two young children with more energy than excited foals. She strokes Elsa's hair, long, slender fingers brushing aside white-gold locks.

Elsa tilts her head, frowning. The squirming mass on her lap giggles and tugs on her braid while she's turned. It doesn't hurt at all so Elsa lets it happen. The crown princess bites her lip, mulling over the name in her head and then on her tongue.

_"Ah-na?"_

The Queen shifts them both in her arms, humming and stroking her head, gently prying tiny fingers from Elsa's braid. "Do you have any other ideas?"

She shakes her head, a large grin splitting her face. "I like Anna!"

The King sighs, relieved at last. He places a hand on the Queen's shoulder and they stare at each other. She's still too young to quite understand the silent exchange.

"Anna it is. I'll speak with the doctor about the name change."

Her sister squeals in her lap and Elsa immediately turns back to her, distracted from adult matters. She scrunches up her face playfully and coos.

She decides in that moment that whatever change is occurring in the castle it can't possibly be as important as entertaining the bouncing delight in her lap.

It affects her the least after all. She already made her promise when her new sibling was born.

Elsa rubs her nose against the smaller one in front of her, earning her a squeal and a sloppy kiss.

She laughs and wraps her arms around the bundle of joy.

"I'll protect you," Elsa whispers, closing her eyes as her mother gathers them both up, a lullaby already on her lips.

_I'll always protect you Anna._

It's a promise she's determined to keep, as a big sister.

* * *

And it's one she's never been able to.

Anna grows deathly ill the next day. Kai tells her that one of the maids found her still and pale on the floor.

_"Shivering and weak, Your Majesty. I'm so sorry, I should have checked on her during the night. She had a slight fever and had been sneezing, but I thought a simple night's rest would have cleared that up. The doctor thinks the chill and wetness of the floor made things worse though. I apologize Your Majesty, I should have looked after her better."_

_"No Kai, it's not your fault. You couldn't have known."_

_"But Your Majesty—"_

_"That's enough. I wish to be alone for now."_

_"As you wish Your Majesty. That said, may I ask you one thing before I leave?"_

Elsa turns her head slightly, away from looking out the window; where snow has fallen over the grounds and painted the world ghost white. She hears Kai shuffle his feet at the door, awaiting her answer.

The air is thick, tense. Within her room, everything is still, but outside, hail continuously beats at the roof of the castle. She can hear the wind howling and she watches the trees in the courtyard shake violently. The glass is frosted over, but she can still see the harbor in the distance. The fjord is frozen, halting trade.

The storm battering at Arendelle's walls is relentless.

It makes her give a little.

"What is it Kai?" Elsa whispers, not taking her eyes off the grounds. The snow there looks soft and serene in comparison to the chaos around it.

Kai clears his throat, hesitates, before asking, "Do you have any idea what Her Highness could have been doing on the ground in the first place? It looked as if—"

Elsa tenses, fingers gripping the window sill tighter. Beneath the silk of her gloves, a thin layer of rime appears.

"—she'd been crying, Your Majesty."

She digs her nails into the woodwork, clenching her jaw. There's a crackle and _hiss_ beneath her palm. Elsa swallows slowly, unwilling to look away from the white crystals raining past her window.

"No."

The word is almost lost to the wind screaming outside, but she knows Kai hears it. It takes everything in her to push away the unbidden thoughts racing through her mind.

_Liar. You do know the cause. You saw her. You saw everything. You __**know.**_

"No, I don't know Kai. I can't imagine what could have caused Anna to do such a thing."

_But you know the cause of her pain._

Her grip is painful on the window sill. Her shoulders are stiff and her jaw begins to ache with how hard she grits her teeth.

"I see," Kai begins. There's another shuffle and she hears the creak of the door opening. "Then, please excuse me Your Majesty."

Elsa doesn't acknowledge his exit. She merely continues to stare out at the white-covered rooftops of Arendelle until she hears the click of the lock. It resounds within her room and with its echo she feels the breath leave her lungs. The crown princess finally moves away from the window. Her shoulders droop and she sags into the chair at her desk, burying her face in her hands.

"Anna," Elsa whispers. "What am I going to do?"

The storm drowns out her words, but the chaotic swirling of ice and snow only serve to feed the hopelessness inside her.

* * *

Elsa sneezes and drops the large tome. It plunks down onto the desk and the dust rising from it aggravates her nose, prompting another sneeze.

"Ugh," she presses her sleeve to her face, "I have to tell the staff to clean out the library."

It's been weeks since the large room was swept clean. With the winter in Arendelle, the staff is more concerned with keeping the fires roaring, making sure rooms are empty of frost and dripping water, drying the floorboards so they don't mold, and keeping an eye on food storage. Cleaning the library isn't a high priority.

_The only person who really comes here is—_

Her heart clenches painfully and her glove hovers over the open page. It's been one week since Anna has fallen ill. An entire week of no change, according to the doctor. It's been constant shivering, denial of meals, hours and hours of falling into and out of sleep. The first few days Anna had shook and coughed so much that apparently neither Kai or Gerda had been able to get her to down any medicine. The doctor had given her a shot, muttering something about fetching more blankets. From what she'd been told, her younger sister had promptly passed out after that. She hasn't made any move to leave her bed, let alone her room. Gerda and Kai are constant in the halls, entering and exiting Anna's room. The few times Elsa has chanced to walk close to her sister's quarters, she has heard the hacking coming from beyond the door. It sent chills down her spine and caused her to pause at the end of the doorway.

When her ears picked up the sound of shuddering breaths and sobbing, she had turned on her heel and hadn't checked back since.

Elsa presses a hand to her forehead, eyes glazed over. The large tome is an extensive knowledge of old and newer medicines, but it, like so many others she has checked in her father's archives, bodes no other new information on what to do for mysterious illnesses other than bed rest, the usual tonics and such, and prayer.

_Prayer._

Elsa shuts her eyes tightly and closes the book shut, dropping her head in her arms. The library is empty save for her. She has made sure that she leaves her room only when she knows she won't be disturbed. She's memorized their tiny staff's schedule and knows where each person shall be in the dead of night. It keeps her from shrinking away from prying eyes.

She sighs and stands. The fireplace is dying now, the winter cold beating at its flickering embers. The chill doesn't bother her like everyone else in the castle, but she still needs light to read when it's so dim. Placing the book back on its shelf, she takes a moment to look around the rest of the library.

"I've probably searched every medical book we have," Elsa whispers, wrapping her arms around herself. She's not cold, but she hasn't felt at ease since—

_Stop it._

Elsa inhales sharply and whirls around on her heel, striding deeper into the library. The thought of reading within light is gone from her mind and she rounds into a dark corner, eyes flicking up to read each title.

_Something. I need something to distract myself._

The very knowledge that she is trying to keep away from certain thoughts sends those images flashing through her mind and she stiffens, fingers digging into her sides. She whimpers and a low, moaning wind answers her call. It sends goosebumps racing down her spine and she fights back the childish urge to run and hide in her room.

_But it isn't as if I haven't been doing that for the past week._

Seven days. A whole _seven_ days and Anna has shown hide nor hair of recovering.

_And whose fault is that? Who put her in such a situation?_

Elsa winces and glances up the long, stacked bookshelf. The faint light from the distant fireplace makes silver letters glitter gold. She blinks, tipping her head back and squinting her eyes at the spines.

_The Healing Process._

The fireplace sparks and crackles in the main room and its glow lights the surroundings for a brief moment. A second is all it takes and she stands on her toes, gloved fingers grasping the small tome delicately. Elsa tugs and it pulls free. The thin, leather cover is plain, brown. The only decoration is a small, intricate circle underneath the book's title. It's worn, as is everything else in the library. She slides her thumb down the spine and it comes away with dust and a light speck of rime. But the silver letters shine in the low, glimmering firelight. Elsa flips the book open to a random page, eyes quickly scanning its weathered surface. The first paragraph is a simple list describing herbal medicines and natural remedies. The following pages go on to include modern medicine. At first, it looks the same as every other medical tome she's looked at until-—

_"—causes of breakdown, heartache, stress, grief—"_

She shuts it and the thud resonates in the quiet space. _This is it. Maybe this can be useful. _

She turns, heading straight to the large oak doors. If she can find something in this small book to alleviate Anna's condition then maybe she can put the guilt—

_And everything else that goes along with it._

—to rest.

Elsa grips the book tightly and pushes the door open. She lets them swing shut, the swaying wood causing a draft.

Behind her, the fire is snuffed out.

It feels too much like an ill omen, but she ignores the twisting in her gut. She has an entire kingdom to run and that leaves no time to worry about frivolous superstition. The hallways are dead as she walks down them, her ears pricked and ready for any sound. Footsteps or voices. To her relief and discontent, the only ones she hears are her own.

Her door is within reach and she slips in, grateful when it shuts.

Without wasting anytime, she locks it.

It's late, but she still has time left. She simply has to figure out how to manage it. _But even so, should I really be thinking about that? Anna's sick, I can't just—No! This is my only chance. Perhaps, I can do __**something.**_

She sighs and walks over to her desk, lighting the candle on it. Elsa flips through the book, scanning its contents, searching for the earlier passage.

_I can at least comfort her. Or try to. In some way._

The hopeful wish is the only thing keeping her together. She tucks it away, locks it inside, and prays the ice in her soul doesn't pierce it.

* * *

She winces as the door creaks open. The shriek and slide of wood against the cold floor makes her heart skip. Her ears strain to hear any sound, any sign of movement from the bed. She pauses halfway through the door when a soft, shuddering breath rises in the air. It comes and goes within a second, but every muscle in her body remains stiff, tense. Elsa holds her own, fingers digging into the door and blue eyes flicking over every shape in the dimly lit room. The curtains are drawn tightly and the window is closed, but she can hear the glass pane rattling with the force of the breeze from outside. Her eyes skip over the wardrobe closet, stomach twisting and pulling as the images threaten to resurface. The nightstand has a half empty bottle of medicine on it, a spoon and glass of water next to it. The lone candle is still there.

It casts a soft glow over everything and her heart clenches at the sight of the tiny flickering flame trying to keep in warmth and light during a storm as terrible as this.

There's a shuffle of movement and her gaze snaps to the bed, pulse quickening. Beneath the multitude of heavy, thick blankets she sees a body shifting. The shaky breath rises again and Elsa bites her lip to keep from gasping.

_This was a terrible idea. I shouldn't be in here. This is dangerous. _

Another breath and her heart pounds in her ears. The gloves feel tight on her hands. Then, nothing. The figure upon the bed trembles and stills. Elsa waits. Beneath her finger, tiny rings of ice protrude outward.

The second hand on the grandfather clock clicks twice before she relaxes.

_Oh. _She sighs and retracts her hands from the door, flicking away the bits of ice and shutting it softly. Everything quiets when the lock clicks in place. The storm dies down and the window stops rattling fiercely. The hail beating at the glass stops and when she glances through the opening in the curtains, she can see snow falling gently outside. The low, moaning breeze that has followed her all day stops. It's as if everything has waited for this moment.

The magic underneath her skin buzzes and hums.

Elsa inhales shakily and curls her hands protectively in front of her chest, clutching the book as tightly to her as she can. She steps forward and the clack of her shoes against the wooden, frosted floor rings loudly in her ears. The crown princess winces, breath catching in her throat as she stares at the figure on the bed with wide eyes.

Again, nothing.

_Stop this Elsa. You're being foolish._

Before her—_nonexistent_—courage can leave her, she crosses the last few strides to the bed. The candle illuminates her sister's face gently. The warm, orange glow almost hides the pale hue of her skin. Elsa's throat bobs as she leans over her sister. Her eyes roam everywhere, taking in the sunken cheeks, dark bags, blueish lips, and sweat-matted hair. Despite the heavy blankets, she can still see her sister tremble. Her eyes are shut, but beneath their lids Elsa notices them move continuously.

_Oh, Anna._

Elsa swallows thickly and quietly, gently, sits down on the very edge of the bed. She doesn't dare move any closer than that. She fiddles with the book, fingers playing with one of the corners. The only noise in the room now is the raspy wheezing escaping from Anna's mouth and her own racing, thudding heartbeat.

_Don't just sit there._

Elsa stills her hands, clutching the book tightly. The clock chimes at the midnight hour and she glances up at it, frowning. It's really only to distract herself, but she can't help it. She hasn't been this close to Anna in a week.

_Not that I was that close to her before then either._

The guilt and discontent coils in her stomach. She pushes the book off her lap, settles it next to her and finally turns to look at Anna, _really_ look at Anna.

Her younger sister is curled into a ball, limbs wrapped tightly around her thin frame beneath the blankets. The gloss of her copper-red hair is dull and the hollows of her cheeks stick out. Her freckles are evident against her pale skin. A bead of sweat rolls down her furrowed brow and onto the pillow. Despite the cold, she sweats and despite the heat emanating from her body, she shivers. It strikes Elsa just how _ill _her younger sister is.

Like the dying candle on her nightstand, trying to cast warmth and light in an otherwise cold and lonely world.

"Oh, Anna," Elsa's voice cracks as she reaches out to her sister, fingers brushing aside plastered bangs. "I'm sorry," Elsa chokes. Her hand trails down and cups Anna's cheek, thumb tracing slow patterns on her skin. "I'm so sorry," she whimpers and leans over, resting her forehead against Anna's temple. "This is my fault."

At this proximity, she can hear every wheeze that struggles up her sister's chest and through her lips. The shaky breaths tickle her ear and she shudders, closing her eyes and gently nuzzling Anna's face. With her free hand, she searches underneath the covers and encloses Anna's fist in her own.

The trembling hand causes the guilt in her throat to overflow. Elsa sniffs, throat clogging in grief. Her eyes burn and her vision blurs. Not even the ice in her soul freezes her tears.

They slide down her face and splatter onto the pillows. The sound of the tiny droplets hitting the plush material somehow echoes in the room.

The storm dies down outside.

It makes the struggling, raspy breaths next to her ear all the louder.

Elsa sobs and shifts as close to Anna as she dares. She shakes, gripping Anna's hand in desperation, trying to find some solace in the fact that her sister is still there with her.

"Y-you'll be f-fine," Elsa says, choking on her words. "S-somehow. You'll be up and sliding in the h-halls soon." She sniffs, gasping, and buries her face in the crook of Anna's neck. "I know it."

Time passes by, but she refuses to move. It's the only safe chance she has of being close to Anna like this. Elsa cries as the minutes tick on, her tears slowly drying. She counts the wheezing breaths from Anna's still form to calm her.

The clock chimes at the half hour and at last she draws back, drained and eyes stinging. Elsa exhales shakily, absentmindedly rubbing the back of Anna's hand with her gloved thumb. Her heart feels a little more at ease and she can't help a small smile from curving at the corner of her lips as she gazes back at her sleeping sister. The thought of Anna growing weaker as winter continues on doesn't even cross her mind now.

_You'll get better Anna. I'm sure of it. Somehow, some way._

It's not the first time her younger sister has had to recover from being sick alone.

_And it won't be the last._

Elsa swallows, throat sore and dry. She clutches Anna's hand more tightly. _Of course. I can't let her know I was here. After tonight, I can't come again. It's too dangerous._

The gravity of the situation hits her like a strong wind.

Elsa stiffens and her eyes widen imperceptibly. Slowly, she lifts her right hand from Anna's face. Her fingers shake and her pulse quickens. She stares at the white of her gloves. Beneath her left hand, she feels Anna's fingers twitch.

_Dangerous._

Elsa looks over her shoulder at the wardrobe closet. She swallows and her throat is dry for another reason now. The door is slightly ajar and even the dimness of the night doesn't stop her from catching sight of a summery yellow nightgown.

_"Just this once."_

Anna's hesitant, quiet words ring in her mind. All too suddenly, she is hyperaware of everything. Although she is buried under a mountain of blankets, Anna wears only a simple dress and when Elsa turns back to gaze at her, her blue eyes catch the sight of sweat rolling down the nape of her neck. Underneath everything, Anna is sweating and hot. Shaking and whimpering.

_Dangerous._

The images from a week ago are relentless.

Elsa shivers, breaths coming quicker as she recalls Anna laying where she is now, but not moaning in pain. The blood roars in her ears as she pulls down the covers to reveal the top of Anna's shoulders. Her sister shivers from the draft and curls tighter into a ball. It makes the nape of her neck stick out more, naked and lined with sweat.

_This is dangerous._

Elsa's eyes zero in on her left hand. It still covers Anna's fist. She inhales sharply and before her eyes, sees her younger sister reaching down with the very hand she's holding into her nightgown; where the heat of her erection lays, throbbing and aching.

_"Just this once."_

She hears it again, faint and echoing within the walls of her mind. Elsa licks her lips and gulps. Anna shifts beside her and her gaze snaps back to her sister's face. Elsa bites her lip when she sees Anna move beneath the blankets, turning onto her back. Pain flashes across her face and Elsa mimics the whimper her sister emits. The column of her throat is visible and like the nape of her neck Elsa is drawn to it. She watches it bob up, a raspy whisper leaving her sister's lips.

_"Elsa."_

She stiffens, eyes widening and pupils dilating. Anna's chest heaves and in the back of her mind she knows her younger sister is still ill, limbs weak and heavy with fatigue. She knows that congestion clogs Anna's lungs and that the heat rising from her skin is from a terrible fever. She knows that the natural cold from her own body is potentially harmful to her bedridden sister.

But the storm brewing outside and the one racing through her veins blocks out the fear swirling in her mind.

Like a moth to a flame, Elsa leans closer. Her sister's breath ghosts over her face and she trembles, eyes falling to half mast as she takes in all of Anna's features. Short, almost auburn eyelashes. Freckles that spread across a small nose and once round cheeks. Thin, pale lips that move and whisper before her. Her mind drifts and it feels like she's in a fog. The profile of Anna blurs, as if Elsa is seeing her through a storm.

_"Elsa."_

She shudders as their noses touch. Elsa closes her eyes, feeling her skin heat as she remembers the way Anna had moaned, whined, and gasped her name.

_"Elsa, Elsa, Elsa."_

"Just this once," she murmurs before quivering lips. Then, she presses forward.

Within her heart of hearts, she isn't even sure if the touch is real. In her mind, the kiss is brief; chaste and feather-light.

A sigh travels through Elsa's body and she thinks she angles her head just slightly so she can better feel the contours and taste of Anna's mouth. It almost feels real and she craves the contact. She's dimly aware that she parts her lips and _breathes_.

"Elsa."

Elsa's eyes snap open, heart stopping. Anna's eyes are still closed and she shifts, turning her head to the side and whimpering.

"D-don't."

The solitary word breaks open the dam and the floodgate of emotions spill. She pulls back, hand coming up to clutch her chest. Her eyes flick over Anna's face, trying to determine if she's awake. Her sister's eyes are still shut, but they dart everywhere and her forehead creases in obvious anguish.

It hits her then what she had almost done. What she had almost _wanted _and allowed to happen.

_No! This is dangerous!_

Anna whimpers and twists. The covers are rumpled and her left hand is unveiled. Elsa chokes when she sees that Anna's fingers are still enclosed in her fist. Her white glove is like a mark.

A stain of what she's done. And not every deed is her failure at catching her sister.

But something carnal, awakening.

She jerks her hand away and pushes off the bed, scrambling to wrap her arms around herself protectively. In her haste, the book drops to the floor and the covers are pulled back. Elsa gasps when Anna's torso is revealed. The top buttons are undone, just like last time and her eyes take in the new expanse of skin. She's drawn to the rise and fall of a smooth chest. Her mind flashes back to when she had peered beyond the closet to witness Anna reaching up and twisting a stiff peak, mouth open and panting.

_No! No, no, no!_

She whirls on her heel only for her gaze to land on the closet. Her breath catches and her fingers dig into the material of her jacket.

It's all too much, what she had done in there, watching Anna moan and jerk her hand upon a throbbing, swollen appendage.

To the thought of _her._

She covers her mouth, beginning to shake all over. _I have to leave! I have to go. This is too __**dangerous.**_

Anna twists in bed again, curling up on her side and muttering in her sleep. "Elsa, don't. P-please."

She runs. Runs before she can hear anything else. Before she can think or _do_ anything else. She passes by the wardrobe closet, feels her heart skip several beats as she fumbles with the door knob, and is out the door and down the hallway before she can contemplate what fully transpired.

Or regret what hadn't.

Her ears pick up the faintest whisper of, "Elsa, don't lea—" before she turns around the corner.

Her heels clack against the cold floor and she nearly slips as she hurries down the hall. Her breathing is erratic and her face is flushed. The blood continues to roar in her ears and race in veins. Everything is too much and her vision is blurring. Behind her she can hear the tell-tale sign of ice hissing and crackling along the castle floors.

Her door is within seeing distance and she pushes her legs forward even faster. She can't slip into her room fast enough. The creak and slam of the door is almost a blockade against all the thoughts turning and twisting in her mind. She leans her back against the cold wood, lungs expanding, taking great gulps of air, trying to seize oxygen. Rime spreads outward from where her fingertips lay on the wood behind her. Elsa gasps and whirls around when she hears it crawling along the frame. The ice spirals in a pattern around a large portion of her door. She watches it protrude into spikes and her heart hammers in her rib cage.

"Stop, please!" Elsa shrieks, covering her ears as if it will help.

The ice does.

She blinks, eyes widening in shock and horror as the pattern halts abruptly before reaching the top right corner of her door. Her fingers shake as she uncovers her ears. It's dead quiet within her room. Not even the wind howls outside. The window is still, the curtains unperturbed. Beyond the glass, even the snowflakes have stopped falling.

Everything has stopped.

Even the pulsing, ramming beat of her heart shudders and dies.

Elsa covers her mouth, shoulders dropping. She feels like her small dinner is going to come back up. A weariness like no other spreads through her bones. Her arms are heavy and her legs almost buckle under her weight. She shudders and sighs, closing her eyes. Inhaling more quietly now, she stumbles back to her door and reaches for the lock. It clicks shut and she turns to her bed, intent on sleep. The fog from before returns and she feels completely drained. Elsa drops to the bed, breaths coming out in shaky gasps. Her hands lay limp at her sides and she groans, burying her face in the plush, indigo covers.

_It's over._

Elsa opens her eyes and watches the window. The snowflakes have returned to falling outside the window pane. They swirl and glide through the air gently now, nothing at all like the earlier rush and pelt. Just beyond the thick clouds hanging in the sky, she can see the aurorae. The pink, blue, and green hues all meld together, creating a flickering show of light. It's calming and she feels the adrenaline leave her veins, here, safe in her room. Sleep tugs at the edges of her brain, but her thoughts still rise and muddle together.

_I can't let anything like that happen again. I can't lose control. I can't—_

She inhales sharply and shuts her eyes. Wetness pricks and burns at the corners.

_I can't wish for things that aren't possible._

She's made a decision. Tomorrow, she will return to her duties. She'll work on the decreasing food storage for her kingdom, figure out a way that trade can still continue while the storm in Arendelle goes on. Her coronation will have to be delayed, but the official title of Queen means little to her currently. She'll have a talk with the doctor, request that stronger medicine be ordered. Perhaps then, Anna will not continue to toss and turn in her bed, aching with fever and restless sleep.

Tomorrow, she will shut the door again and promise herself it will stay that way.

_And I'll break Anna's heart and leave her alone all over again._

Elsa whimpers and curls into the center of her bed, wrapping her arms around herself. She inhales, the scent of lavender and mint from her covers seeping into her nostrils. It lulls her, distracting her from the torrent of anxiety and heartache running under her skin.

Tomorrow. She'll deal with everything tomorrow.

The clock chimes at the twelfth hour. Elsa breathes slowly, opening her eyes again to watch the storm swirl outside. She wants to sleep, but can't bring herself to do it just yet. The white crystals dance before her, vaguely following each other in patterns. Her eyes track them and through her tears, shapes take place. The shadows around her room are heavy without any candle to ward them, but the light of the aurorae is like a twinkle in the dark. Her eyes flutter shut and then open again, trying to track the sight before her. Everything melds together into an array of black and blue save for the snowflakes that fall. The alabaster shapes stand out. The color reminds her of the column of Anna's throat, pale and bobbing up and down, evident and distracting.

Her breath hitches.

In her mind's eye, she sees Anna again, lying upon her back. Her chest heaves and although she recalls her sister being pale from the sickness running through her body, her face is flushed. Against her side, Elsa's fingers twitch. She sees the pink tone travel down Anna's neck and she bites her lip when she remembers that the top buttons of her sister's nightgown had been undone.

Just like—

_No! No, I can't think like that._

Elsa shuts her eyes tighter, but the sudden darkness around her only gives rise to the images in her mind. Anna is there again, twisting under the sheets, whimpering in heat and pain.

_"Just this once."_

No, on top of the bed. Where the only thing that hides her body is the sheer fabric of her nightgown. Her younger sister reaches underneath her dress, a look of anxious concentration on her features. A spark flashes in her eyes and a soft, low moan rises from Anna's lips. It's not pain, it's _pleasure._

A gasp escapes Elsa's throat.

Through the haze, it feels as if she's back in the wardrobe closet, frantically trying to hide herself from Kai and Anna.

_All I wanted to do was return the chocolates._

She hadn't expected this outcome. How could she? Elsa feels her stomach twist and her breathing picks up one pace. _It can't be. It can't be. This isn't happening._

But when her eyes travel down, peering through the thin opening of the wardrobe closet and the dim lighting of Anna's chambers, she can see the bulge near the hem of her dress.

A low heat curls inside her. Elsa's eyes snap open again, but she can't escape from the flashback occurring before her. She swallows, throat dry and tongue thick. Anna bites her lip and Elsa can see her younger sister's forearm flex with her strokes. The flush on her face makes Elsa, in turn, blush. The heat in her stomach spreads downward. She clutches her skirts, trying not to touch anything within the closet lest she turn it to ice. She presses her thighs together, whimpering when she hears and sees Anna groan, face scrunching up. Her sister's teeth dig into the flesh of her lower lip and the sound coming from deep within her throat makes the unfamiliar feeling tightening within Elsa's stomach all the more noticeable.

A shiver runs down her spine and her mind jumps through several minutes forward.

Elsa whines and curls tighter into her bed when she sees Anna shift back on hers, sweat rolling down the crease of her forehead and the line of her neck as she moves to grow more comfortable. The flush of her skin is tantalizing. When Anna's hand travels back down to the bulge in her dress, Elsa mimics her.

She bites her lip, her fingers pressing into her skirts. A tremor runs through her at the faint pressure. Anna's chest heaves and she once again recalls the way her nightgown had been unbuttoned. Except that this time, the expanse of skin does not halt just beneath her collarbone. She sees the pink tips of stiff nipples, one hand reaching up to twist. Anna cries out. Elsa inhales sharply and then everything is racing.

She presses her fingers even harder. The heat in her stomach flares when a shock travels up her spine. It isn't enough. In her mind's eye, the image of Anna clarifies. Her shoulders twitch and she shudders when she sees Anna part her legs. The full extent of her swollen, throbbing erection is bare. When she sees the head twitch and hears Anna sob, hand stroking firmly up and down her cock, it's like fire in her stomach. She digs her hand between her thighs, gasping when a shock jolts through her. Her younger sister twists and Elsa's eyes flick over every part of her. Every _naked _part of her. It hits her that Anna has grown. She's no longer five years old. She's fifteen and her body is obviously within the process of adulthood. Elsa gasps, feeling warmth bloom in her cheeks and spread down her neck when she notices Anna's hips begin to roll and thrust. Her fingers bury themselves in her dress. Vaguely, she's aware of her labored breathing and that her hand has begun sliding back and forth. Small shivers dance up her spine.

It isn't _enough._

Elsa shifts, gloved hands dipping down and grabbing the end of her skirts. She pulls up her dress and her fingers slide between her thighs. The cold of winter has never bothered her. Her bare legs are unaffected by it. She trembles as she presses her left hand atop her underwear. The pressure is more evident. The shock that runs up her back, leaving goosebumps in its wake can only be conceived as pleasure now.

_It isn't enough._

Cold has never bothered her, but _heat _transcends.

Her pale skin is flushed. A drop of sweat rolls down her neck. Elsa gambles that if she bothered to look into her vanity mirror, she's sure that her bun would be unkempt. A stray lock of white-gold hair drops and it sticks to her forehead. She ignores it, biting her lip more harshly and turning her face into the covers, whimpering when the warmth in her stomach spreads outward. Blood rushes from her veins to her core and Elsa gasps when her index finger brushes against the bundle of nerves that's hidden beneath. Even with the fabric of her underwear still on, the touch is electric.

Heat sparks every nerve. Through the layers of cloth, Elsa rubs faster. She pants, whining and pressing her thighs tightly together when she recalls Anna bending and spreading her legs. Pleasure flares in her lower belly when she sees Anna stroke her cock, gripping the base. Her eyes dart down and she can't help but stare when Anna's fingers dip down and squeeze her scrotum. The cry and moan that tears from her younger sister's throat rings in her head.

Something creaks and clicks.

Elsa moans, soft and quiet. The tiny release of noise—the lack of quiet in the otherwise still silence of Arendelle Castle—is freeing. She fumbles with her hands, unsure of what she's actually trying to accomplish, but knows that she's only scratched the surface.

_Like Anna. I'm trying to—_

The stiff material of her jacket and dress is suddenly suffocating. The heat spreading over her skin disappears underneath her clothes and she has the desire to see the rest of her snow-white flesh bare. She feels unsteady and when she slips her hands back out from between her thighs, her gloves are still dry.

When she had watched Anna from inside the closet, her fingers had been damp at one point; pressing into the core of her body, throbbing with the racing of her heart. She had wiped them dry before Anna could have ever guessed.

_But she almost did! I saw it in her eyes. When she found out I was there, she almost __**knew.**_

The idea of her younger sister knowing that Elsa had stroked and panted alongside her is both sickening and thrilling. The heat in her lower stomach is distracting.

She moves on the bed, fingers shaking as she fumbles with the buttons of her jacket.

The bed shifts.

Elsa whimpers as she finds that her fingers are clumsy with undoing her clothes. Her gloves feel tight and the silk material seems thick. The buttons on her jacket do not loosen and are tinier than she remembers. It's frustrating and she almost wishes there was someone to do it for her, so she can attend to the increasing throbbing between her thighs.

_Someone else. _

"Anna," she whispers before she can stop herself.

"Elsa?"

The voice is small, raspy. It's barely audible among the howling wind from outside and her straining lungs. Sickness and pain clog it. It's weak.

It cuts through the air like a knife in the dark.

Elsa pauses, hand hovering over the top button. Her breath halts in her lungs and the blood rushing through her comes to a sudden stop. Her heart jumps and stays suspended between her chest and throat.

_It can't be. It just can't be._

Elsa's eyes slowly open and she stares into the blackness surrounding her. She waits, ears straining to pick up any other sound. She doesn't dare look over her shoulder, for fear of what she'll see. Instead, she relies on her hearing. She blocks out the wind roaring beyond the castle walls and listens for the voice again. A part of her wonders why she hasn't died from the lack of oxygen running to her brain.

There's nothing.

The tension lining her muscles slowly relaxes. The hand at her jacket drops and her lungs expand for air again. A figment. That's all it was. Something her mind conjured up from the wind and desire running rampant. It couldn't have actually been—

"Elsa."

The bed shifts and this time she feels it give way.

Everything within Elsa locks up again. She clamps her thighs together, locks her ankles, clutches her chest with both hands, and tries not to hyperventilate. Her ears are ringing. Her eyes dart everywhere.

"E-Elsa."

The voice is still weak. Her name spills from it with great effort and comes out with less strength. It's scratchy and she can practically hear the soreness from within. The sound of labored breathing reaches her ears and her heart clenches at the obvious struggle of illness-ridden lungs. She can't help it. Elsa lifts her head and turns, eyes wide. Her chest heaves and she watches the figure at the edge of her bed.

The very low light outside her window, the moon, stars, and aurora borealis illuminate strawberry-blonde hair. She can faintly make out the color of her sister's nightgown. It's mint green and almost vanishes with the pale tone of her skin. One of the straps falls, leaving the juncture between her sister's neck and shoulder bare. She stares and saliva coats her tongue for the first time. Her heartbeat picks up again.

_"Elsa."_

Elsa snaps her gaze up, back stiffening.

Anna's eyes glow. The thin ring of blue-green is bright and so much like the aurorae swirling in the sky afar that she finds herself reaching out with one hand, fingers trembling. Her younger sister's shoulders are drooped and Elsa can see the obvious sickness about her again. She fumbles on the bed, trying to crawl forward. Her body shakes as much as Elsa's. Anna's chest heaves with effort and her breathing is erratic. It rises and releases in puffs of white. Elsa is struck with the knowledge that her room is _cold _and Anna is deathly ill.

"H-help."

The knowledge drives away the guilt and fear that has been settling in her stomach.

Elsa rushes forward, scrambling to catch Anna as her younger sister stumbles. She falls face first into Elsa's lap and the crown princess's hands are frantic. She pushes aside sweat-matted bangs, smooths down the wrinkles in her sister's too thin nightgown. She pulls the strap back up, cringing when she realizes that Anna isn't wearing footwear. Her legs are bare. She's far too suspectible to the cold and Elsa's stomach twists when she realizes that her own hands are likely freezing for Anna.

Anna whines when Elsa's fingers touch her neck. Elsa draws them away as if she's burned her younger sister.

_I almost did though! Once._

"Anna," Elsa whimpers and wrings her hands together, lower lip trembling. "What are you doing here? You can't be here! It isn't safe!"

The door was—_is_—locked. How did her younger sister get in?

Anna pants and tries to turn. Her arm gives way and she slumps back into Elsa's lap. The sight makes her heart clench and her fingers, unsteady and hesitant, fall upon her sister's head. Trembling, unsure, she caresses the thin tresses. A sigh escapes Anna's lips and she shudders, curling into a ball at Elsa's feet. The breathy rasp makes a shiver run down Elsa's spine. She digs her fingers in deeper, one hand reaching over and pulling her younger sister closer to her by the waist.

"Oh Anna." Elsa's voice cracks and she bites her lip to keep from whimpering. "You can't stay here. It's too cold. You'll get worse." Anna pants in her lap and tries twisting again. She succeeds in turning her head, gazing up at Elsa, mouth open and eyes hazy. The strange look on her face makes Elsa fumble. "Y-you shouldn't be in here. It's _cold. _I—"

Anna reaches up, the tips of her fingers brushing Elsa's chin. She gasps imperceptibly, eyes widening.

"I'm not cold Elsa." Anna shudders and presses closer to her. Despite her words, she's shivering.

Elsa reaches behind her, fumbling with the covers, trying to pull the blankets from under them and around Anna's body. Her sister's rapid, struggling pants convince her otherwise.

"Anna, you're shaking all over. I should," she stops, chest seizing, "I should bring you back to your room."

Surely it's warmer in there, far away from her.

Anna's hand grasps her wrist.

Elsa stops, jerking her gaze back to stare at her sister. The strange glow in her eyes is back and when she swallows, her throat bobs up and down. Elsa can't make herself look away. She licks up her lips and her mouth is both dry and wet. A torrent of emotions swirls inside her, much like the storm battering at Arendelle's coasts and walls.

"I'm," Anna struggles to sit on her knees, arms trembling with the effort, "_not_ cold Elsa." She heaves and for the first time looks flushed. The pink undertone of her skin becomes more apparent.

_This is like—_

The memory of Anna, sweating and moaning, thrusting into her hand and gasping for breath, resurfaces in her mind. Elsa is all too aware of their proximity now. She blinks, jaw dropping open as Anna finally sits on her knees, hands clutching the fabric of Elsa's skirts tightly. Her chest heaves and the crown princess can't stop her eyes from darting down and watching the action. It sends shudders down her spine.

They're alone, within her room. The door should be—_Is! Is! _her mind screams—locked. She can feel Anna's breath ghost over her face. Her sister's eyes draw her in. Here, no one can see how close they are. They're _alone._

Anna shifts closer, until Elsa can smell the hint of medicine on her breath. Her voice is still raspy, but underneath it Elsa can hear something else. Something heavy and thick, needy.

"Elsa," Anna begins again and she watches her younger sister's lips move as if she's in a trance, "it's hot. It's _hot, _Elsa. I-I can't stand it." She whimpers and Elsa mirrors it, tongue too clumsy to respond with words. "Help me, _please_."

Elsa lifts a hand, shaking all over. Fear and worry coil tight in her stomach as she lays her fingertips over Anna's cheek. Underneath her glove, heat radiates from Anna's skin. She exhales in a shuddering gasp and her other hand lifts to caress Anna's other cheek. She brings her sister's face forward and presses their foreheads together. A sigh, relieved and soft, passes Anna's lips. She nuzzles her nose against Elsa's and the crown princess chokes on a sob.

"Oh, Anna you're burning up!"

"Unh."

The affirmative grunt makes goosebumps rise on her skin. Her spine bends a bit and she pulls Anna into her lap. Elsa reaches down and cups her sister's lower back, urging Anna to rest her head on her shoulder. A part of her, the part not stumbling through the fog, screams that she shouldn't be this close. That she should be pushing Anna away. That she should be shaking, fearful, urging her sister back into her own bed.

But Anna's breath ghosts over her neck and even though most of her skin is concealed by her heavy dress, she still feels the heat hover and travel over her.

Cold doesn't bother her, but heat—_heat _is something she craves.

"Elsa," Anna rasps into her ear, hands clutching the front of her dress. Her sister curls up and Elsa can feel her chest heaving against her own. "Aren't you h-hot too? It's b-boiling here."

Elsa shudders.

Hot? She was hot before, but isn't now.

"N-no, Anna, I'm not hot." Elsa swallows and shifts back, moving to rest them against the pillows of her bed. "You need to rest. Lie down here and I'll get Kai to take you back to your room."

She moves to release Anna from her hold, but her younger sister's arms tighten around her torso and she buries her face in Elsa's neck. The heat emanating from her is distracting, worrisome. But Anna doesn't let go.

"Y-you're not hot?" Anna rasps. Elsa blinks, inhaling shakily. She shakes her head and tentatively strokes Anna's face. "T-then, you're cold?"

_Cold?_

Yes, she's always cold. It's natural. She was born that way.

"I guess," Elsa says slowly. Beneath her skin, she can feel the tingle of magic again. Absentmindedly, she lays her head atop Anna's, squeezing her lightly. "I'm always cold."

Anna whimpers quietly and shifts in her arms.

"Then, just this once?"

The question jerks her back to reality. She snaps her gaze back when she feels overly warm fingers caressing her cheeks. Elsa's eyes widen and her pulse quickens when she sees the strange glow grow brighter in Anna's eyes.

"J-just this—"

"Just this once, I'll—" Anna swallows and even in the dim lighting, Elsa can see it. Her throat bobs and a powerful shudder runs down Elsa's spine. Again, she's aware of their proximity. "I-I'll warm you up and you cool me down?"

Her nerves tighten. Her heartbeat races again. The heat from before returns, but this time she can feel it in the tips of her ears, in the veins at her wrists, and in the soles of her feet. The throbbing between her thighs resurfaces. Her breathing quickens. She can feel Anna's chest swell against her own. Her sister nuzzles her jaw. She shivers and her fingers twitch.

_A dream. This has to be a dream._

"If you want to."

Anna's whisper is almost drowned out by the wind roaring outside. The storm howling beyond the castle walls seems to swirl around them. She feels the magic under her skin buzz.

But the gloves are in place.

Anna pulls back and Elsa snaps her eyes to her. Anna bites her lower lip and the guilt on her face is obvious.

"O-only if you want t-to." A look of pain, from the sickness and perceived rejection, flashes over her face. "B-but if not, I'll go back to my room."

The floors are slick from residue frost nowadays. The halls are cold and not even the fires lit in every room can keep a constant, warm temperature. Anna is sweating. The excess moisture could lead to worser conditions.

Elsa's fingers tremble as she reaches down and moves the blankets. Anna blinks, watching her, confused.

"Just this once," Elsa whispers, biting her lip and staring, waiting, watching.

Anna's eyes widen. She shudders and Elsa sees it travel from the top of her head down her spine. Her hands come up and cup Elsa's face. She leans into the touch, aching to feel that heat.

"Really?" Anna's voice is back at her ear again. "Do you need warming up Elsa? How long have you been cold?" Elsa tightens her grip, biting her lip and whimpering. Anna's hands travel down, sliding over her shoulders and encircling her waist. She pulls her in and Elsa doesn't resist. "It must have been so long..."

Anna's breath makes her flush. Elsa shivers and nods. Hesitantly, she raises one hand and presses it against Anna's chest. The rapid beat of her heart thuds underneath her fingertips, bypassing even her gloves. The hair on the back of Elsa's neck stands. She parts her lips, licks them, and notices Anna's eyes flicker down to watch.

The storm continues outside. She can't shake the idea that this is all a dream. She's too close.

"A-Anna, it's cold."

Anna shudders again and when she pushes forward, Elsa leans back. Their backs meet her bed. Her sister shifts and Elsa gasps when she feels something bump against her outer thigh. Even beyond the thick material of her dress, she knows what it is. In the back of her mind, something has been stirring, swirling, and increasing in force.

Anna nuzzles her neck, panting. "I'll make sure you're warm. You'll never have to be cold again Elsa."

Elsa whines when she feels fingers undoing the buttons of her jacket. They come apart easily and she feels the heat of Anna's hands upon her chest. It sends a shock down her spine when fingers cup the swell of one breast. Elsa fumbles with herself, unsure of where to touch and how to hold. She settles for sliding one gloved hand underneath the collar of Anna's nightgown. Her sister gasps and presses harder into her. This time, Elsa can clearly feel the bulge underneath thin fabric.

Outside, the wind roars and the storm thickens.

She gasps and now both her hands clutch her sister's shoulders. "A-Anna!" A nose buries in her neck and hot breath makes her quiver. "Is that where you're hot?"

She reaches down, fingertips trembling as she presses into Anna's lower abdomen, just shy of actually touching anything. Anna whines, rising onto her elbows. Her sister nods frantically and shifts. The hand cupping Elsa's breast slides onto her waist, fiddling with her skirts. Elsa tenses beneath Anna and all too suddenly remembers the throbbing between her thighs. It was dull before, but now it returns with a vengeance when her younger sister lifts up the hem of her dress. Her heart hammers between her rib cage, sounding much like the shaking glass pane of her window, and she feels her stomach twist. Hands slide down her legs, tracing fire upon her pale skin.

_So soon?_

"Still wearing shoes," Anna mumbles.

Elsa blinks, momentarily distracted from her racing nerves. She lifts her head up and Anna glances at her. The awkward, shy grin Elsa receives is comforting.

"It must be uncomfortable."

Fingers that should be clumsy from sickness deftly undo the laces of her shoes. They're off within seconds and Elsa flexes her toes at the freedom. Anna leaves her socks on, crawling back up her body. She opens her arms and Anna slides into them. Her breathing is still erratic. The heat from her skin is still too high and when Elsa brushes aside her bangs, she can feel sweat underneath her gloves.

"Elsa, it's hot," Anna says, leaning her head against Elsa's shoulder.

A full body shudder runs through Elsa when Anna lays down on her. The rigidity at her thigh can no longer be ignored. Elsa gasps and for the first time, not only does heat pool in her stomach, but she feels _wetness_ gather between her thighs. Her chest rises and falls and the feel of Anna's front against her own makes her knees weak. She reaches up and digs her fingers into Anna's shoulder blades.

Anna gasps and Elsa knows the coolness of her hands strikes through the sheer fabric of her nightgown. Her sister _bucks._

The head of her erection bumps her hipbone.

It sends a frenzy of fire through Elsa's bones. She sits up and Anna stumbles back. In the dim light, she can see her younger sister blinking rapidly, mouth open.

"I-I have an idea," Elsa says, trying not to cringe when her voice cracks. She's honestly surprised that the howling wind doesn't drown out her voice. Anna squeaks when Elsa flips them over. She urges her sister to lie down on the soft pillows. "This will work for both of us."

Anna twists and she shivers when a leg presses between her own. Knowing that the only thing separating her from Anna's overheated body is their clothes makes her light-headed.

"B-but you first!" Anna slips her hand underneath Elsa's collar and she moans when fingers rub in small, wonderful circles where her neck meets her shoulder. Her skin is sensitive. The nerves are pulled tight and Anna's other hand travels down her back, grabbing a fistful of her dress and tugging up. The draft in the castle doesn't affect her, but when fingers trail up her bare leg, her muscles tense and she feels every nerve spark.

"Together," Elsa pants. She moves, throwing her leg over Anna's waist, effectively straddling her. She only hesitates a bit before her hands fall flat upon Anna's chest. Her fingers flex against the smooth plane. There's a flash of light—_moonlight? _

Anna trembles beneath and Elsa can feel the shakes. It makes her arch her spine and she moans. The sound makes Anna inhale sharply and she goes rigid.

_Rigid._

Elsa's head is dizzy. Her thoughts jumble and swirl erratically like snowflakes. It hits her then what she's about to do with her sister. Her _sister._

She should feel guilty. She doesn't. She's nervous, but it's different. Hot-blooded excitement begins to rush through her veins. The air is thick and tense and it isn't because of the storm outside. Elsa reaches along the line of Anna's sternum and begins to slowly undo the buttons of her nightgown.

"Ah." Her sister shifts, restless and a moan escapes Elsa's lips when she feels Anna's erection brush the apex of her thighs, against her core. Her fingers tremble on the middle button and Anna slides her hands up Elsa's elbows, coming to rest upon her fingers. Light flashes again and Elsa sees anxiety flickering in Anna's teal eyes. She's nervous too and the knowledge that they feel the same gives the crown princess some semblance of courage. "You'll feel better soon."

Anna swallows and this time Elsa doesn't hide the fact that she's distracted by the action. "We both will."

They're alone in her room. There's no one there to judge them. For this. For their differences. Their similarities. _This. _Out of the corner of her eye, she sees snowflakes gather upon her window sill. _Only snow. There's no ice._

The storm feels like a blanket around them. The wind is loud and a quick glance and squint at the grandfather clock confirms it's still late. The servants won't be up until hours. There's no ice trailing from her fingertips. She only wants to be warm and Anna is all too willing to share that warmth with her. The proximity is addicting. She pushes aside the guilt in her mind and undoes the last remaining buttons.

"Oh," Anna whimpers and shivers when Elsa pulls open her nightgown, pressing her fingertips down onto a flat chest. A shock runs down Elsa's tailbone when she sees that her nipples are perked. "C-cold."

"I'm sorry!" Elsa gasps and jerks her hands back, wringing them together instinctively.

Anna grabs them. Elsa stiffens, eyes wide. Her sister pants and her chest rises with effort.

"No, don't be sorry Elsa." She brings their hands back down again and the white of Elsa's gloves against her flushed skin should make Elsa feel sick, but instead her heart only jumps in longing. "It feels nice."

Anna's eyes glow again and her hands reach up, slipping under the flaps of her jacket. Elsa's shoulders twitch and she shivers when it's pulled off. Her forearms and elbows are bare, but that's it. Still, she has never felt so naked in her life before. She's used to wearing concealing, stiff dresses. She's not used to showing so much skin. It's as if Anna is looking at her without her gloves.

_But I have them on. And Anna isn't looking at me like that._

She inhales sharply when she looks down at her sister. Her heart clenches at the sight. Anna is looking at her as if she's sacred. A wetness glimmers in her eyes and she trails her hands down to Elsa's waist, rubbing gently. She doesn't move to dig underneath Elsa's dress. Instead, she creates patterns, warming Elsa's skin with slow and graceful tenderness. It makes the heat in Elsa's stomach flare. She wants to go faster.

Elsa bites her lip and grasps her skirts.

"Elsa?" Anna tilts her head, confusion muddling her voice.

The crown princess pushes aside the last remnants of fear and hikes up her dress. She rises slightly so that the hem pools around both of them, but instead of the fabric preventing her from touching Anna's body, her bare knees press into Anna's sides. Suspending herself for a moment, one hand lifting up her dress, she reaches with the other between them. Anna tenses and Elsa guesses it's because her free hand is so close to her throbbing erection, reaching down and tugging up Anna's nightgown so that it crinkles around her waist.

She chances a glance.

The low light makes it difficult to see, but Elsa can tell her sister is hard. Her member lays flat against her stomach, twitching and pulsing. The head is faintly purplish and if she's correct, leaking pre-cum. That Anna so obviously desires her makes the throbbing between her legs almost unbearable. It feels like before, when she had watched Anna thrust and moan. The heat is paramount and it needs release.

She inhales, exhales shakily, and then moves down.

Her legs brush against her sister's and the contact of naked skin makes Elsa moan and Anna bucks up in surprise.

"Oh, Elsa!" Anna shudders, gasps, and Elsa can feel her cock brush her sex. The thin material of her underwear is the only thing separating her swollen lips from her sister's erection. The pressure is tantalizing and the realization even more so. Now she's truly aware of how wet she is.

_And I'm getting wetter._

The second, quicker realization makes her moan. Elsa plants her hands beside Anna's head to steady her. She should feel guilty, sitting astride her sister like this, their parts so close that when she shifts just slightly her wet underwear creates a shocking, pleasurable friction. She should feel _fear_, staring down at Anna with her gloved hands so close to her sister's head—the white lock in her hair evidence of what happened last time.

But she doesn't.

_This feels right._

The third, earth-shattering realization releases the pent up storm. She hears it howl. Elsa reaches down and presses her hands to Anna's chest. Her sister gasps and arches into her touch.

"Elsa, please!"

She licks her lips, watches Anna's face twist. Her sister shuts her eyes tight when Elsa takes both stiff nipples in between her fingers and pinches. The shudder that runs through Anna's body makes her hips tremble.

"Ah." Elsa bites her lip hard when the friction creates a tingling sensation. She shifts her hips from side to side, trying to find the best course of action that would increase said pleasure.

_"Unh!"_

She gets her answer when Anna frantically clutches her forearms. Her sister thrusts upwards and the length of her shaft brushes against Elsa's clothed clit.

"Anna!"

Elsa's arms tremble, her limbs suddenly weak. A shock races up and down her spine, leaving goosebumps. Her mouth drops open and she pants, bucking back down into her sister. Anna whines and throws back her head. The column of her throat is exposed and Elsa stares at it, pupils dilating. Her sister's hands scramble to find purchase on Elsa's body. One settles on her back, nails digging into her spine and another slips between the junction of her neck and shoulder, right on her bare skin.

She's sensitive.

Elsa jerks her hips down again, groaning both at the feel of her sex rubbing along Anna's cock and at the realization that her dress is too dense for her to fully feel sensation. She pants, a flush spreading down her neck where Anna's fingers grip.

"Ugh, Anna. I can't—" Elsa grits her teeth, whimpering when the hand at her neck slides up and delicately caresses her face.

Anna groans and twists restlessly beneath her. "Can't feel much with that dress right?"

Elsa shivers and nods, eyes fluttering shut. The hand at her back fumbles, traveling up to the nape of her neck, searching. It pauses and Elsa inhales shakily at the gentle press of fingers creating soothing patterns. They stay like that for a moment, listening to each other's breathing. Her hands still rest upon Anna's chest and she flexes them slightly, receiving a tiny moan in response. The hand at her face travels back to her neck, thumb rubbing along her pulse point. She feels Anna's erratic heartbeat beneath her gloves and knows that Anna feels the rapid pace of her jugular in turn.

She takes everything in; how close they are. Her underwear clings to her, sticky from her dripping core. When she concentrates on that part of her, she can feel the heat coil in her lower abdomen, making her clench although there is nothing to hold onto—_yet. _But just beneath her, she can feel Anna's cock throb and twitch. The wetness between her thighs is likely making her sister slick. They're close already, but Elsa wants to be closer.

The sound of a zipper being pulled rises above the storm's shrieking wind and cuts through their still moment.

Elsa's eyes snap open and she gapes, the hair on the back of her neck rising when she feels a draft brush over her back. She doesn't resist when the zipper stops. Anna's hand moves back up, gliding over her exposed skin. It leaves trails of fire and Elsa whimpers when she feels fingers tug on the laces of her corset. For someone who should be bedridden, Anna makes quick work of the knots with only one hand. Then, her sister pushes her up into a sitting position gently. Elsa lets her, watching with wide eyes as Anna—with both hands now—tugs the top of her dress down. Her corset pools at her waist along with it.

The draft in the castle brushes over her bare skin. She shivers, not because she's cold, but because she hasn't been this bare, this_ naked_ in front of anyone in _years_. And the person before her isn't just anyone, it's _Anna._

Anna who looks up at her with utter devotion and love in her eyes.

Like she's _sacred._

Her sister rubs her arms slowly, biting her lip. The flush on her face is different. It's centered in her cheeks and Elsa feels her own heat up at the shy expression.

"You're beautiful Elsa," Anna mumbles and then exhales slowly, "and I-I promised to warm you up."

A tremor, deep and powerful, runs through her bones. It settles low in her stomach and makes her quiver. Her heart skips a beat and, wordlessly, she lets Anna tug her back down.

The contact of bare skin upon bare skin is exhilarating.

They gasp, tensing. Elsa inhales, exhales, and sighs contentedly when her nipples brush Anna's. The soft moan she's rewarded with sends pin-pricks of pleasure from her scalp to her tailbone. She nuzzles Anna's neck and her sister arches into her in response. The softness of her chest against Elsa's sensitive, aching breasts makes her bite her lip. Tentatively, she slides her hands up Anna's abdomen and pushes open her nightgown as far as the collar will allow her. Anna shivers, chest rising and falling at the cold brushing her overheated body. Elsa watches her, eyes flickering over her face, tracking every miniscule twitch and shiver. The obvious pleasure on her features makes her heart clench.

Anna shifts, running her hands down Elsa's bare back, feeling every dip and rise of sinew, muscle, and bone. Elsa's breathing quickens. The chaste touch is somehow more tantalizing than the previous ones. It gives her strength, spreads heat where Anna's fingers caress, emboldens her. The perceived fear and guilt of being so close to her sister and wanting to be close in _this _way falls like a single snowflake in a raging storm.

Anna hums, eyes hooded. Every breath she takes causes their chests to slide and swell against each other. Elsa is both warm and cold. The magic in her soul is buzzing, winter manifested and contained. But then Anna moves, lifting herself slightly to press a tiny kiss on her bare shoulder.

"I'll warm you up," Anna whispers.

She does that and _more. _

If she's ice, then Anna is surely fire. If she's snow, then Anna is the sunlight that melts her.

Elsa moves, desiring—_craving—_that heat. She presses a sloppy, open-mouthed kiss on Anna's neck, the flat of her tongue brushing the thudding pulse point. She hasn't kissed anyone in so long, let alone the fact that she's never kissed anyone so intimately, that she's clumsy.

_Am I even doing this right?_

The tiny cry that Anna lets out should tell her that she is, but doubt is hard to let go of. She trembles in frustration and anxiety, unsure of where to place her lips until she reaches up to just behind Anna's ear and her sister groans, eyes rolling in the back of her head. The movement is a full body shift, including her hips rising up and into her, knees bending slightly. Elsa is reminded of how wet she is and how hard Anna is. She takes advantage of Anna's newfound weak spot. Rolling her hips down onto Anna's cock, Elsa peppers kisses behind Anna's ear and along her jawline.

Anna goes limp under her. Elsa smiles faintly when her sister mewls, rolling her hips up in a desperate need for contact. It reminds her of when Anna had spread her legs in her room, whining softly as she pinched and squeezed her scrotum.

It hits her then that it's _her _making her sister feel this way.

_I shouldn't be doing this. This is wrong. It's dangerous. I should be protecting Anna from these desires, not encouraging them!_

And yet...

"Oh, Elsa, don't let go!" Anna pants, hands fumbling along her back, trying to find purchase. "D-don't stop!"

Elsa shudders, trailing her hands down to Anna's front. She takes both peaks and squeezes, pinching, rolling them between her fingertips. Anna arches beneath her, mouth open. Not even the dim lighting can hide the obvious pleasure on her sister's face.

"Here?" Elsa asks, eyes hooded. She squeezes for emphasis, gloved hands flexing.

"Ngh!" Anna grits her teeth, nodding rapidly. Her nails dig into Elsa's shoulder blades. She turns her head, lower lip pulled between her teeth. Elsa shivers at both her touch and expression. "K-kiss, again?"

A jolt shoots up from her core, making her thighs tremble. Elsa nods wordlessly and nuzzles the back of Anna's ear, breath ghosting over the heated flesh. Her sister moans, arching up into her and Elsa hears the bed creak. It's the first time and out of the corner of her eye, with a glance over her shoulder, she sees Anna's legs strain with effort, muscles tenses. Elsa turns back and pants, gripped with a strange desire to continue hearing the bed creak. She places wet kisses behind her sister's ear, the tiny cries and mewls urging her on. Anna thrusts into her repeatedly, the length of her shaft brushing her clothed sex. Sparks go off in Elsa's head. She rolls her hips down, squeezes aching nipples between her fingers, and latches her lips onto that sensitive spot, sucking clumsily.

The bed creaks and bounces with Anna's sudden thrash, a cry of pleasure rising above the storm outside.

It echoes through Elsa's body and she trails hot kisses down Anna's jawline, eyes shut tight. She relies on sound, taste, and touch to hear her sister's pleasure. There's something she's been aching to do and she's close to her mark. Elsa opens her eyes when she nears, pupils dilated and staring at the column of Anna's throat. She inhales and brushes her nose against Anna's rapid pulse point.

"Anna," Elsa breathes, voice raspy and filled with need. "Swallow."

The hoarse command makes Anna choke, throat bobbing up and down. Elsa presses her lips to it, a magnitude of shudders running down her back at the tiny vibrations she feels. She slowly strokes her core along the length of Anna's cock. The proximity and pulses she feels beneath her is making her melt.

"Oh," Elsa says, breathy and soft. She buries her face back into Anna's neck, rolling her hips every time Anna groans from her ministrations. "A-Anna, I—" Anna shoots up, wrapping her arms tightly around Elsa's waist, surprising her. She squeals, eyes flying open as her sister sits up. Hands pull her roughly, more firmly, onto a lap. "Anna, w-what?!"

Hot lips attach to her neck, a flexible muscle lavishing over her jugular, and Elsa melts. She gasps, gloved hands grabbing the back of Anna's nightgown, quivering. She's practically a puddle, arching into her sister's bold touch. Anna wastes no time moving from her neck down to her collarbone, taking advantage of the exposed flesh. Elsa moans, caught off-guard by the change of pace and fumbling to keep up. Hands move over her, crinkling her dress, rubbing her outer thighs in firm but soothing strokes. They trail up and over her waist, lingering to tease her hipbones—she cries out at this, god is she _sensitive _there—before settling on her stomach. Elsa whimpers, gripping Anna's shoulders, and looks down at her sister.

Anna's mouth is open, her eyes are hooded, and the glow in them is something Elsa can only describe as _hungry_.

_She wants me._

The thought jolts down her brain, along her spine, and runs over her sex, making her throb in anticipation.

Anna shifts closer, kissing her collarbone gently. The lack of urgency only makes Elsa wetter. She pants, fingers twitching. Anna dips lower, soft lips trailing a warm wet trail between her breasts. Elsa tingles and can't help rolling her hips when Anna pauses. She whines deep in her throat, aching for something.

"Elsa?" Anna's voice is hoarse and Elsa twitches at the richness in her tone. She exhales shakily, wrapping one arm around Anna's sweaty neck and burying the other in her sister's strawberry-blonde hair. "Are you warm yet?" Anna asks and Elsa feels her shift. A gasp tears from her throat when she feels puffs of air over one stiff peak. "No?" Anna asks again, soft and almost inaudible. Elsa whimpers, raising her eyes to the ceiling. She shakes her head, a few white-golds falling out of her bun. Anna shivers beneath her and wraps one arm around her waist, steadying her. The other rises up her stomach, pausing just under the swell of one breast. "Okay..."

Lips surround one nipple just as fingers grope the other.

"Anna!" Elsa jumps, sobbing as pleasure spreads over her chest. Anna groans into her breast, sucking and squeezing softly. Her fingers lightly pinch Elsa's other nipple as her tongue swirls over the other tip. Elsa pants, lungs desperate for oxygen. She thrusts down onto Anna's lap, the bed creaking with her bouncing. A delightful shock courses through every bone and muscle in her body when she grinds into the base of Anna's cock. "Ngh! Anna, I—"

Anna sucks harshly, effectively cutting Elsa off. She palms Elsa's other breast before pulling away, kissing over her breast, along her sternum, and back up to her neck. Free from attending the aching mound, her hand dips down and clutches at her derrière. She pulls Elsa as close as possible, grinding her shaft into Elsa's swollen sex.

Elsa cries out, rolling her hips forward. Her hands scramble, clawing at Anna's back and digging into her scalp. Anna groans and bucks into her, teeth nipping at her throat.

She sees stars.

"God, Anna!" Elsa whines and throws her head back, spine popping. Hot lips attach to her jugular, sucking roughly and spots of color join the stars swirling in her vision. She twists, tingles running over her arms and shoulders when the head of Anna's cock brushes over her clit. The friction isn't enough for her heated body.

Elsa gasps and rolls her head to the side, panting when Anna peppers kisses to the front of her throat. Her sister's breath leaves shivers in its wake and Elsa digs her nails deeper into Anna's scalp. A hot, wet tongue licks over the hollow between her collarbones. Elsa shudders and stares hazily at the ceiling, rolling her hips into Anna's crotch again and again as she pushes her breasts into Anna's front, aching nipples brushing against her sister's.

Sweat beads on her forehead and she can feel it run down Anna's back when she slips her hand underneath the thin nightgown.

Anna pants, licking up from the hollow of her throat. Her lips brush against Elsa's skin and the crown princess trembles, twitching in pleasure. Her sister's voice is raspy, low, and thick with desire in her ear. "Elsa, _swallow_."

The returned command is a lightning shock between her brain and the core of her sex.

She swallows, trying to gulp down air. Anna moans at the soft vibrations her throat creates and she sucks at her jugular again, the flat of her tongue rippling across Elsa's sensitive skin. It sends a wave of pleasure over her. Elsa's heart hammers in her rib cage and as she thrusts against Anna's crotch, she can feel something pulling tight in her abdomen. Every buck and jerk of her hips makes her sex rub along the length of Anna's shaft. Her wet underwear creates friction every time she moves, but she almost wishes she was without it.

The idea of her bare sex rubbing along Anna's makes her whole body shiver. Elsa angles her head, mouth open and panting next to Anna's temple. Her sister tightens her grip around her waist, mewling when Elsa presses sloppy kisses down her face to her jawline. They thrust and roll together, sweating and shaking.

She wants to prolong it. She wants to prolong the feeling of Anna in her arms, wrapped tightly around her and beneath her, moaning and bucking. She wants to prolong the pleasure tightening in her stomach, burning through her veins, and making sweat roll down her bare back. She wants to prolong the idea that her and Anna holding each other like this is _right._

But she can hear the storm whirling outside and knows the end is near.

Elsa moans and buries her face in Anna's neck, one hand traveling around to her front to squeeze an aching peak. Anna whines and parts from her throat, arching into her cold touch.

"Oh, Elsa! I think I'm—!"

Elsa doesn't let her sister finish. She rises off Anna's lap and her legs strain with effort. She's wet, dripping. She can feel it cling to her inner thighs and the draft in the room makes her aware that a few droplets slide down her skin. Her breasts are pressed tightly against Anna's front—stiff, aching nipples continuously brushing against each other. Anna's hands drop to her waist in surprise at the sudden change in stance. She stutters, face bright red as Elsa grips her shoulders tightly.

"E-Elsa?"

Elsa pants, chest heaving. She shifts, spreading her legs a little bit more. Her eyes meet Anna's and the heated glow in her gaze makes Anna whimper, muscles tense. Then she moves down again, grinding the entrance of her core down hard onto the head of Anna's cock.

The keening wail that splits from Anna's throat and the erratic jerking of her hips is worth her own delayed orgasm. Anna's fingers dig into her waist, the sensation almost painful. She throws her head back, eyes glazed over. Elsa's name is a broken mantra on her lips and she bucks with abandon into her.

"Elsa! Oh, Elsa, Elsa, Elsa!"

Elsa watches, pupils dilated as Anna comes onto their clothes. She shudders when a trail spills onto her inner thigh. They fall back. Anna is unable to hold them up with the strength of her orgasm. Her younger sister gasps for breath, limp and spent. She can feel Anna's cock become flaccid and the tiny pulsations make her thighs twitch and her sex clench. Elsa shakily kisses and nuzzles her sister's cheek, muttering incomprehensible words of comfort.

"Shh. Shh, I've got you Anna. I'm right here."

She ignores the throbbing between her legs. It can wait.

"Mmph, Elsa..." Anna is trembling, jaw slack. She angles her head and her lips brush against Elsa's nose. "Y-you still need to...?"

"Don't worry about it," Elsa stammers. Tears burn at the back of her eyes when she sees the look of utter adoration on Anna's face. She slips her arms around a sweaty neck. The words clog in her throat, but she manages somehow. "I want this more than I want anything else."

Anna trembles and nods, eyes fluttering shut. Elsa lays her head against her sister's shoulder, convinced that sleep is on the horizon.

The storm is quiet. The wind is soft. There's no shaking of walls and she's never felt more relaxed in her life.

Elsa sighs and shuts her eyes.

A hand trails under her dress.

She jerks up, eyes snapping open. Every muscle in her body tenses and she stares at Anna. Her sister has a mild look of concentration on her face, gazing down their bodies.

"A-Anna, what are you—"

"I promised I'd warm you up," Anna breathes into her ear. It makes the throbbing between her legs return and she rolls her hips into Anna's pelvis expectantly. "Ah!" Anna bites her lip, shivering. "J-just give me a second Elsa."

_Oh! She's sensitive. I made her sensitive._

The realization causes heat and pride to bloom in her chest. Elsa shifts up, balancing herself by resting her hands on Anna's chest. Her sister smiles wobbly at her and Elsa returns it shyly.

The hand under her dress finally makes contact with her inner thigh.

"W-wow," Anna whispers, eyes widening. Her pupils dilate and Elsa blushes. "You're close right?" Elsa nods, biting her lip. Anna brings up her other hand to steady her waist. "Okay, I'll make sure you don't have to wait anymore."

Elsa trembles, spreading her legs to accommodate the fingers sliding up her inner thighs. She breathes shakily, biting her lip harder when she feels the tips gently probe her entrance. The pressure is too hesitant and too tiny to fulfill her need.

"A-Anna, please," Elsa rolls her hips, panting. The ache burning inside her makes her impatient. "Faster?"

Anna sucks in a breath and Elsa sees her bite her lip as well. She nods wordlessly and slides one finger up and down the length of her sex. Elsa clenches, hyperaware of how wet she is. Her sister fumbles for a moment, brow furrowed. Elsa, in a bold move, grabs Anna's wrist and leads her to where she wants her hand to be, right above her clit. Anna gasps when she feels the slickness over her fingers.

"There, please Anna," Elsa whines. She buries her face in Anna's neck, mewling when two fingers press down on her clothed clit. The direct pressure is pure relief. Pleasure jolts down her spine as Anna begins to rub small circles around the bundle of nerves, hesitant at first, before settling into a steady rhythm. The heat in her body is spreading like wildfire.

"Like this?" Anna asks, eyes flickering over every expression on her face.

Elsa nods furiously, bucking into Anna's hands, trying to increase the friction and speed. She rolls her hips and Anna's hand fumbles for a moment. "H-harder," her breath comes out in puffs, so close to Anna's ear, "harder, Anna. _Please."_

She can feel Anna swallow and then nod imperceptibly. "Okay."

Elsa inhales slowly and then Anna moves.

She cries out when Anna draws harsher circles around her clit, bicep flexing with effort. The pace is urgent, the pressure in her stomach coiling into a tight knot. Elsa sobs and thrusts her hips into Anna's hand. Her thighs twitch every time her sister completes a circle, panting in her ears, breathless from their activities. Fire races up her spine when Anna takes her forefinger and thumb together and pinches her clit.

She sees stars again.

Elsa's jaw drops and she stiffens, every muscle pulling tight. Shivers run down her back and she arches. She's unable to move as pleasure sparks in every nerve in her body. Spots of color dance in her vision and she squeezes Anna's neck in her hold, wordlessly trying to alert how close she is.

"I've got you Elsa," Anna whispers, hand cupping her sex. She digs the heel of her palm against Elsa's clit roughly and Elsa chokes on a soft cry. Two fingers come back and press against her clit, rubbing vigorously in an up and down motion. Elsa's thighs quiver and her eyes shut tight, hips thrusting forward. Anna replaces her fingers with her thumb, pressing the pad right down on her clit, hard.

_God!_

Elsa can only whine and mewl, trembling atop her sister. Each circle is fast and rough now, then slows down into a firm stroke up and down the tiny bundle of nerves. She's wound so tight now that she can't even match Anna's pace with her hips. Her gloved fingers bury themselves into Anna's hair, nails scraping her scalp. She's never felt so hot in her life. The blood in her veins is liquid fire and she's about to—

Anna moans slightly, shifting beneath her. She draws her hand away, but it's only for a second. Elsa doesn't understand what's going on at first before her sister slips her hand behind the last barrier that separates them.

A lone finger presses directly onto her clit, the tip applying firm pressure.

She unwinds like the storm outside.

"ANNA!"

Elsa shrieks, hips spasming against Anna's hand, spine arching and popping. Her nerves explode with pleasure and her vision goes white. Shocks continuously run up and down her spine, turning her limbs to jelly. She's aware of every bead of sweat rolling down her back, of every spot that is in contact with Anna, skin and fabric rubbing against her own, creating added friction. She holds Anna so tightly that she's dimly aware it's painful. But in her nirvana, she's too distracted to fully realize it. Elsa bites down on Anna's shoulder, teeth sinking into the skin, needing something to ground her.

Anna cries out, bucking against her in surprise. She presses down on Elsa's clit harshly and that, with the sudden feel of Anna's cock against her throbbing sex, rockets Elsa skyward.

Everything goes white.

She's higher than the storm in Arendelle and everything swirls around in a blast of colors and sensation. She sees hues of blue, pink, and purple.

And then there's the sharp crackle and hiss of _ice._

* * *

Elsa jerks awake in a sweat, chest heaving.

Everything is covered in white. The floor has a layer of snow and she notices that tiny piles of it have fallen on the furniture. A thin layer of frost has crept on every surface. Small, almost miniscule snowflakes float in the air. The sheets are frozen over in the middle, where she still lies upon her bed.

Her hand is between her legs, dress still covering every inch of her.

She isn't half-naked and there is no one else in her room. She's alone, surrounded by winter.

Elsa blinks slowly, rising shakily to her knees. She removes her hand. Her thighs are wet. Guilt, suffocating and intense, swarms down on her.

_A dream. It was a dream. I fell asleep._

Masturbating to the thought of her sister.

Elsa trembles and lifts her hand to her face. She stops it just inches before her when she sees a few droplets of moisture. If possible, her guilt increases.

_What's wrong with me?_

Her stomach twists. She lowers her hand down, fingers trembling, and touches her skirts. It's damp and she doubts it's because of the ice from the sheets.

_Did I really—am I that lonely?_

It has to be loneliness.

It can't be anything else. She can't possibly feel anything for Anna like that. She's already been through enough. The night she had witnessed what Anna was doing, she told herself it was nothing but grief and longing.

_Longing for—_

"No!" Elsa exclaims. She almost wraps her arms around herself, but halts when she looks at her hand again. Instead, Elsa sits there, staring with wide eyes at her frozen sheets.

Guilt and horror curl together tightly in her stomach. The dream's pleasure is gone, leaving her hollow.

_I can't let this happen anymore. I promised to stay away from Anna._

She breathes slowly, trying to calm her racing heart. It batters her rib cage like the storm against her window. The seconds tick by, but it feels like an eternity to her. She sits, quivering until there's a knock on the door.

Her spine snaps straight and she stares, gasping.

_No! Please, don't tell me it's—_

"Your Majesty?"

Elsa clutches her dress, her heart hammering in her rib cage. It beats as if it would burst right out of her chest.

Relief—and the sting of disappointment—flows through her. The first brings back her words. She ignores the second.

"Y-yes? What it is Kai?"

There's a minute of shuffling and she grips her dress so tightly that the silk of her gloves strain over her knuckles.

"I came to check up on you, Your Majesty. You didn't wake at your usual hour and Gerda didn't want to disturb your rest. But I felt that it was imperative you eat something, so I brought you some breakfast. May I come in Your—"

"Set it by the door," Elsa says sharply, cutting him off. She prays he doesn't recognize the high-pitched tone in her voice.

_Please don't ask. I can't! Not now. _

There's silence again and she holds her breath, shaking.

"As you wish, Your Majesty."

_Thank goodness._

Elsa lets it go, muscles relaxing. She doesn't dare move just yet though, for fear of Kai hearing the cracking of ice. She opens her mouth, about to dismiss him when—

"I'd like to inform you however, that Princess Anna awoke this morning."

She's speechless, eyes widening. Tears prick the back of her eyes and she falls forward a bit, catching herself with her hands upon her bed.

"Did she?"

Her voice is distant, faint. Her heart is thumping in her chest again, sending blood and warmth through her veins.

"What else?"

"She managed to eat a bowl of soup. The doctor tells me her fever broke. The worst has yet to pass, but he's positive she will make a full recovery."

He's happy. Elsa can hear it in his words. The air is light, gentle. The morning rays have brightened her room. She wasn't aware of it until now. It's still quiet and yet...

"I'm glad."

She doesn't know if Kai hears, but she doesn't care. Elsa's heart cracks a little. She's made her decision.

_I need to protect Anna._

Kai hums on the other side of the door. There's a clatter of plates before another shuffle. "Then, please excuse me Your Majesty."

"Of course," Elsa says more strongly. She swallows, blinking back tears. "Good day Kai."

She thinks he bows before he simply says, "Majesty," and then walks off, the sound of his footsteps fading down the hallway.

Elsa shivers, looking down at her hands. After several long moments, she rises from her bed. She needs to change. She's still in the same clothes as the night before, among other things.

Something catches her attention out of the corner of her eye.

Elsa stops and stares out the window.

Her hands curl against her chest.

Outside, Arendelle is white and quiet.

The storm has broken.


	3. The Cloud

**A/N:** We'll keep this short. We're sorry for the heavy delay, we've been quite busy. Without getting into too much detail, our original idea for chapter three was scrapped so a lot of impromptu planning was done for this and chapter four. No warnings for this chapter. We know this one is a little 'out there'. Features dubious use of troll magic and questionable parental decisions. We don't condone any of the questionable parenting in this story. Enjoy.

* * *

"They're...rocks?"

She blinks and grips her mother's dress tighter, just so. Her mother's arm comes down to grasp her shoulder and tugs her closer. The Queen does not say anything, but Anna feels the tension in the lining of her forearm. Subtly, her fingers tighten on Anna's shoulder. She looks up and watches the way her mother's face pcreases. It's an odd, twisting expression and Anna thinks she does not like it.

She doesn't yet know the name for _fear._

"Trolls, dear one. They're called trolls," the King says, and his voice is so low that Anna almost doesn't catch it. She looks up, startled. Her father, though soft-spoken, has never been quiet. She doesn't know yet the purpose of his changing timbre, knows only that her father has always been firm of tongue and tone. A deepness to his words that, for some reason, makes everyone turn to him. Commanding.

She has never known him to be gruff.

She looks back at the rocks—_what are trolls?_—and watches the way they move. It's almost a ripple and something about the way they turn as one, despite the hardness of their hides, makes her dizzy. One fluid motion and the shadows all around them move as well. She doesn't think she likes it. Her skin crawls and she grips her mother's dress.

"Your Majesty?"

The voice is gravelly—loud amongst the silent clearing—and her eyes move rapidly toward it, seeking out the source. The rocky owner of it steps away from the crowd and she tilts her head at the figure's grassy garb and long hair. The Queen tugs her back even closer, shifting her body as to stand in front of her. Anna blinks up at her mother, but the Queen's frosty eyes are on the stone person.

"Is there a reason you've come?"

Anna turns her gaze back forward just in time to see her father's shoulders rise. It's an inch or two, nothing more, but she doesn't ever recall him being so tense before. Something about the raspy quietness of the stranger's voice gives rise to intrigue from her. Something about the stone figure makes her skin crawl, goosebumps rising along her arms.

She doesn't know what a _threatening _or_ hostile_ tone is. Not yet.

However, Anna does know that she doesn't like the way he speaks to her father. Her eyes flick up to him as he steps in between the stranger and she and her mother. A shiver runs down her spine and she presses closer to her mother at the action. It's unsettling and she isn't sure why. Something about this night, this time and place, stops her from making any sound. A whispering in her ear tells her that now isn't the time to speak, to ask questions, to ask her father why he—as _King_ —is afraid.

She wishes Elsa was here. Why did they leave her behind, tucked away in her bed? Elsa would get lonely, she was sure of it. Anna felt an ache in her chest at the empty presence of her sister.

_"I don't want to bring both of them."_

_"Are you not worried for Elsa?"_

_"Yes. Which is why I will not allow for both of them to come. It's fine. We'll protect Anna."_

She hadn't understood what she needed protecting from. Anna still doesn't, but the tiny clearing around them feels as if it's growing smaller. The chill, night air passes over her dress and she huddles as close as physically possible to her mother for warmth. The fingers upon her shoulder dig in deeper and she hears a quiet intake of breath above her. She clutches her mother's skirts in return.

"It's my child," the King whispers, then glances down at her and says instead, "my daughter. I-I was- I have come to ask for your aid to my daughter."

It's the first time _Papa_ has stuttered; the first time his words have broken and it makes her peek out from behind her mother's leg, eyes wide and curious.

The troll glances up at her father, bushy eyebrows knitting together. He looks between her and the King, confused. "Aid? Is your child unwell? Why have you brought her here and not to your healers?"

"Not unwell." And that is the first time her father's words are gruff, ground out between his teeth with his hands fisting at his side. After a second, he adds, shoulders dropping slightly, "But in need of aid. I-I don't understand her needs. I had hoped- have come to ask if you will help me aid her."

The Queen scoops Anna up into her arms when the stranger breaks away from the group, arms tightly squeezing her and Anna squirms from her grip. She gives her mother a pleading look, but the Queen doesn't release her vice-like hold. There's a wild look in her eyes and Anna is so unused to seeing it on her mother's face that she pauses.

"Agdar, are you certain about this? We don't know what they- what their magic will do to her," her mother hisses.

The King looks back at her and Anna starts at the expression on his face. It's a twisted look, with his brow furrowed and his lips slightly parted, sweat beading on his forehead. She frowns, the hair on the back her neck rising, and burrows deeper into her mother's arms. Unease takes hold in the pit of her stomach.

_I wish Elsa was here._

But she isn't so Anna glances at her mother, eyes widening. "Mama? What's happening?"

The Queen looks at her, blue eyes flickering with some strange emotion. Then she buries her nose in Anna's short bright red hair, breathing unsteady. She mumbles something inaudible among the copper tresses, then shakes her head and pulls back, murmuring, "We won't let them hurt you dear one. This is to help you."

_Help me? _

What does she need help with? Again, Anna sorely misses Elsa's presence.

"Yes. We won't let them hurt you," the King says, though the way his eyes dart up and down, not looking directly at her, makes his voice seem far away. She glances between her mother and father, watching them as they watch each other, as if something passes between them. Their eyes are dark. Their shoulders are tensed.

Anna whimpers_. _

_I want Elsa. _

"We won't harm the child."

The voice cuts through the air, jarring them, and Anna turns her gaze back to the trolls. She watches the largest figure step toward them and though he only appears slightly bigger than herself, his presence speaks volumes about his stature. She tugs on her mother's dress and nuzzles her nose into the fabric. Her mother squeezes her closer.

The King looks back at the figure and Anna sees his jaw clench. Then, after a moment's hesitation, he nods. He mumbles something to the troll and then steps toward Anna and her mother. Anna feels her mother cradle her and the Queen steps back a bit when her father reaches out to her. His brow creases and he mumbles an appeal. The Queen denies him softly and he steps closer and the King wraps his hands around Anna's arms. He gently lifts her from her mother's embrace and she looks between them, blinking at the odd tightness on her mother's face and the one on her father's.

She doesn't yet know what desperation is either.

"They say they will help you little one. This is to help you, to make you feel more at ease with your vessel," the King murmurs into her hair as he carries her to the trolls.

She looks up at him and stares at the muddled, dark look in his eyes. She isn't afraid. She's never had reason to be afraid when in her father's arms.

_Papa wouldn't let anything hurt me._

He kneels by the old one, one which she thinks to herself is the king of these trolls, or their leader of sorts.

The rocky being nods and lifts his hands and the King brings her closer to them. She feels his large fingers caress her forehead and winces at their gravelly texture.

"She seems displeased with her vessel. She cries at odd hours of the night and day at times. I've no idea why. The doctors- my healers are unsure either. They say there is no illness in her body. They say it's in her head. I-I was hoping you could aid in understanding," her father whispers and though he allows the troll to touch her, he imperceptibly holds her closer to him.

"Your child is not unwell. Uneasy yes, but this is no illness. You humans have strange misconceptions," the troll grumbles. He strokes Anna's head in short little movements.

The King mumbles something under his breath and then asks, something in his voice tightening more and more with each word, "So, there is nothing you can do to help me out her more at ease? She is a child now, but if this continues, or worsens in any way, they'll think her mad."

More softly, almost so that she doesn't hear him, he adds, "They would do harm unto her."

Anna looks at him, curling her fingers around his hands, where he holds them around her chest. She can feel th beat of his heart under her tiny hands.

The troll king hums, brow furrowing. His hand continues to stroke her forehead, pausing every now and then. "Our magic is not used often for this. We do not usually meddle with you humans. You do not usually come to us. But we've no intention of harming the child. We will aid her."

Under his breath, Anna hears her father mutter, "Intention!"

Then the troll's hand glows and glitters with a purple and blue light upon her forehead and Anna starts. Her eyes widen at its light, before its glow vanishes within moments. She blinks and the King stills. There is a moment where she hears only the sound of his breathing, raspy and soft. She hears her mother striding quickly toward them, scooping Anna up from her father's arms.

"Did it hurt? Did it hurt her? Does it hurt anywhere, sweet one?" her mother hisses to her, pressing Anna to her chest. That wild look in her blue eyes is back.

She hasn't the faintest idea why her mother coos and hushes, as if she is in need of comfort. She burrows deep into her embrace as her father exchanges words with the stranger.

The troll sighs and when he looks up at her, Anna thinks she sees the barest hint of a smile on his face for the first time. "She will be fine. We did not bring harm unto the child. She has already begun to grow, but the magic shall help ease her along, in due time as she ages."

Again, her father says something she does not hear.

"No more tears dear one. No more tears at night, please," her mother murmurs.

Anna does not respond and the wet tone of her mother's words causes her to whimper. The King strides back to them and ushers them away from the clearing. He mutters a grateful—but _quick_—goodbye to the trolls. She tries to glance past their shoulders to catch one last look at the figures made of stone, but her father's arm comes to wrap around her mother's shoulders, blocking her view. Her parents' steps away from that place the quickest they have ever taken.

"Let's hope we never have to come back here. The book says that the trolls are not always_ harmless_," her father says.

Anna blinks. Sleep washes over her. Suddenly, she wishes for nothing more than to curl up and dream in her mother's arms, feeling for the first time in a long time the desire to sleep without restlessness.

She drifts off in the Queen's embrace as they ride back to the castle.

She doesn't expect to be carried to that place ever again, let alone only weeks later.

She doesn't ever expect to feel the touch of troll magic upon her vessel a second time.

* * *

She forgets that place.

* * *

The first day she remembers only sights and sounds. Anna struggles to open her eyes. She feels heavy and her head is _pounding._ There's a continuous thudding in her skull as she listens to the sound of the maids sweeping the floors just outside her bedroom. The swish and brush of the broom is like nails on chalkboard to her. It's aggravating and she twists in her bed.

Anna inhales shakily and at last her eyelids flutter open. She blinks several times, gaze roving upward towards the ceiling. The dark pink canopy looks unnatural at the angle of her head, but when she shifts to right herself, her vision swims. Something rises up from her stomach to the back of her throat and she heaves.

Anna buries her face back into the pillow and groans. She whimpers at the churning of her stomach. The air is cold and she feels it whisper between the sheets, slipping up her back through the sheer material of her nightgown. It doesn't occur to her then that she's in her bed, nestled between heaps and heaps of blankets, instead of where she had fallen asleep last night, curled up in her wardrobe closet.

The only thing she processes is the thundering in her head.

Her temples ache and throb, as if her head is being placed upon an iron anvil with a metal weight pressing upon it. Dizziness hits the back of her eyelids, which flutter open and shut as the pendulum of the grandfather clock in her room swings back forth in time. She turns her chin back and forth in just the slightest movements, watching the world spin around her.

_Last night—what happened?_

She blinks once, then twice. Distantly, she hears the shuffling and whispering of the maids out in the hallway. They've stopped sweeping and relief threads through her at the silence. She briefly wonders where Kai is and why he hasn't come to fetch her. A candle slowly burns on her nightstand. It's light casts everything in a soft, orange glow. The flickering flame looks warm and inviting against the cold dark of her room. She shifts and gazes out the window.

The storm pelts the glass and shakes the trees. There is frost residue on her window sill. A shiver runs down her spine from the cold.

Anna turns to stare at the door, brow furrowing. It takes more effort than she expects. "Kai?" she calls out, meek. She can barely hear her own voice. It sounds scratchy, hoarse.

There is no answer. She can still hear the maids outside the hallway, but she can't hear the familiar shuffle of Kai's boots. Only a barrage of other indiscernible sounds. Though they are faint, everything rings loudly in her ears. The sounds clatter in her skull, creating a cacophony. It's as if she's under the bells, the vibrations jerking her left and then right.

_Why is everything so loud?_

Her head is pounding. Her head is swimming. It _hurts._

_"Elsa. Elsa, Elsa, Elsa!"_

Immediately, the orange glow in her room makes her uncomfortable.

Her body jumps, something quick and acidic rising past her throat. Anna throws back the covers and crawls swiftly to the edge of the bed. The unpleasant—_disgusting—_warmth crawling up her throat is discarded onto her carpet. She heaves, clutching at her neck, digging into the skin with her nails. Pain and nausea hit her like a kick in the guts. Her eyes sting with the force of her retching. For a few moments, the sounds of everything else all around her is drowned out by the terrible, bitter noise of her attack.

Anna coughs when she comes back up, a hand wiping at the trail of bile upon her chin. Her fingers come away smelling foul and her stomach churns at the stench. It's almost enough to send her into another round, but she pushes the temptation down. Whimpering, she moves back to the middle of her bed and burrows under the covers. The clock's pendulum continues to swing back and forth and she hears the clang of it Iike a vibration against her temples. It rises above the storm and her world spins.

It's the chapel bell. She's _sure _of it. It tolls and her head hurts.

"I'm dying. This is the end, isn't it?" she mumbles.

The canopy above her swirls and swirls, its dark pink cloth moving as if alive. The shadows among its wrinkles seem to grow, spreading outward like water, until she realizes it's just the lids of her eyes fluttering shut again.

She croaks. It's a dry sound that gurgles past her lips and her body feels weightless, floating as if between clouds. Why has no one come for her? Where is Kai? Where is Gerda? Or any other of the maids who come to check up on her when she has slept well past dawn. Have they died too?

Outside, the wind howls.

_It's lonely._

The thought rolls through her unbidden and Anna mumbles a mourning prayer under her breath.

The door creaks open, but she is only privy to the beating of her heart and the churning in her stomach. It rolls and rolls until Anna's sure the contents of it are going to come back up again. She moans and clutches the sheets feebly, twitching.

The pounding in her head almost blocks out the voice she hears.

"Princess? Your Highness, are you awake?"

Anna's eyes snap open and she clenches her jaw, hissing. Pain wracks down her body at the sudden noise. It's louder than the hail smacking the window pane for some reason. Anna twists her head and watches through a blurry haze at the suited figure slipping in through the door. When the lock clicks shut, she hears the heavy bolts of the gate slide in place. It sends another spike of nausea and agony down to her stomach.

Kai's boots stride across the floorboards and Anna groans loudly at the thunderous creaking of his footsteps. She wishes everyone was quiet in that moment.

_But then I'd be all alone again._

The thought irritates and disheartens her. She feels weak, heat hovering over her skin.

"Ah Princess! You are awake?"

His voice is louder than the heavy slam down of a metric ton. She shuts her eyes tightly in the hopes that it'll block out the noise. Something looms over her and the bed darkens with shadow. Her eyes remain shut, blood roaring in her ears.

"Princess, are you feeling unwell?"

The metal weight slams down again. She swears her teeth clack together. Her skull ratters.

"Not so loud," Anna hisses, curling deeper into the sheets.

The back of her eyes burn and the lids are heavy like lead. Her head continues to pound.

"M-My apologies Princess," Kai lowers his voice to a whisper, "are you unwell?"

She listens to the sound of the pendulum as it swings back and forth to the time of a minute, to the time of her heartbeat.

_"Elsa. Elsa, Elsa, Elsa!"_

She blinks back the burning itch behind her eyelids. She feels so weak, limbs dragging down. Anna clutches the covers. Her stomach twists and the image of Elsa's horrified face flashes through her mind. She whimpers and curls deeper into the bed.

"I think I am."

* * *

Anna recalls only short snippets of the first and second days after that. Everything else blurs together.

Kai alerts the rest of the staff that she's unwell.

Halvard comes to visit her shortly after noon for a check-up. She only remembers that sitting up in bed is difficult and tiring. Her limbs feel so heavy and the world tips when she moves her head. Sweat quickly accumulates on her skin, dotting her forehead when she attempts to rise. It collects along her sternum and Halvard calls for a couple of the servants to bring up warm washcloths. Through the fog in her mind, she hears him muttering. He's worried that a bath to clean the sweat will just worsen the chill.

"She can't take any baths. Not yet," he hisses to Kai.

Then, he turns to her and she blinks blearily at the irritated frown on his face.

"You have a fever. It seems to only be a fever, but with the castle as cold as it is, any unnecessary moisture could worsen the chill. You are to be confined to bed—and by extension to your chambers—until you are recovered. I'll not have you wandering the halls while you are ill. And no, before you attempt to say anything Princess, I'd advise you to close your mouth. This is _not_ up for debate Your Highness."

The title feels like an appeal to her, a faux apology for his biting tone, though he doesn't seem the least bit apologetic.

He checks her breathing, her temperature, her heartbeat, her eyes, and her throat. Her breathing is erratic he grumbles, her temperature too high for his liking, her heartbeat a bit above steady, and her eyes are swollen and red, with her throat clogged full of phlegm. All the while, he mutters darkly and under his breath about her recklessness, her foolishness in sleeping in places that weren't a proper bed.

Halvard has never been the softest man.

Anna inhales shakily. She supposes she appreciates his honesty even as he presses the cold stethoscope to her chest.

It's better than secrets.

_"Won't you tell me what's going on?"_

Anna whines and he draws back.

"I will bring some medication from my quarters. You are to eat something, take your medication, keep yourself hydrated, and sleep. I _advise _you to stay put," he growls.

She's too tired to argue with him. Her eyelids flutter and her vision blurs for a moment. Sleep creeps up her body. Her eyes are dreary. She's been sitting in her bed throughout the check-up—_How long have I been like this?_—and now she sways in her position. Her chin droops upon her chest while one of the maids rolls up the sleeves of her nightgown. Halvard places away his tools and nods in approval at the maid.

"Wipe her down and then she can sleep. That's what she needs the most besides medication."

Anna wants to do it on her own. Her skin crawls where the maid's hand is, but when she reaches for the cloth, Halvard's face darkens.

"You are _not _to move. You are merely to _rest_," he barks. "You've servants to do that for you. You're only going to make your condition worse if you act this stubborn."

Anna starts, pain searing through her skull at his sudden order. Her hand comes down to rest on her lap as the maid begins to unbutton her nightgown. Though her skin is flushed from the fever rampant in her body, she still shivers when the chill in the air hits her skin.

_"Oh Anna, I'm right here Anna."_

Her hand shoots up and grasps the maid's wrist. Her servant shoots her a startled look and Anna feels the flush on her face deepen, thought she knows it isn't from the fever. She stutters and tugs at the woman's wrist, "Please. I-I can do that. I feel fine. I can take c-care of it."

Confusion flashes across the servant's face, but she draws her hand away at her command. Halvard spits and hisses and snarls that she won't let her servants do their jobs.

"You'll be on your deathbed if you keep acting so recklessly!"

He throws a tantrum while Kai, who has been silent throughout the whole time, gently shoos the maid out of the room. Halvard stomps out of the room threatening to bring her the medication needed, all the while growling under his breath about how young girls think they know better than his medical knowledge.

"Your sister is just as stubborn!" he howls as he wrenches the door open. "She thinks she can get by day to day sufficing on only the most meager of meals! I have told her many times she will fall ill and it is only by gracious luck that she is not privy to winter's chills!"

Whatever is left in her stomach threatens to meet acquaintance with her sheets. Her cheeks flush brilliantly at the mention of Elsa. At the same time however, her heart sinks low. She grinds her teeth and fights down the temptation to just curl up in bed again.

_Oh Elsa. I'm so sorry._ _I can't—how do I make it up to you for all this?_

She's grateful when Kai closes the door to her bed chambers. He turns to her and she ignores his quiet stare as she takes the washcloths that the maids have left. She needs something to distract her and cleansing her body is the perfect excuse. A bowl of warm water rests nearby on her nightstand, to soak the cloth in when it becomes chilled. She tugs back the collar of her nightgown to bare her shoulders and brushes the cloth over her sternum. Her eyes stay fixated on her sheets, where her left hand lays limply in her lap.

_"Anna."_

Her eyes burn. Her stomach roils with nausea. She's profoundly conscious of the place between her legs. Her fingers tighten around the cloth and they tremble, wetness beginning to collect in the corners of her eyes. She's even more aware of the guilt that slithers in her veins.

_How could I?_

Kai edges forward at the first soft sniff. Demurely, he calls to her, "Princess?"

She can't face him. Her hand drops to her lap.

"I-I would like to be alone Kai. If you d-don't mind, could you wait outside?" She chews her bottom lip, before continuing, "I don't think- I don't want to wash in front of anyone."

"Are you sure Princess?" Kai asks, brow furrowing. "I must admit, I feel uneasy leaving you alone. Perhaps it would be best to have someone with you."

Anna shakes her head, stubbornly rubbing the cloth over her skin. She still can't face him. Goosebumps rise on her skin from the chill in the air.

_I can barely look at myself. I'm so confused. So—god, what have I done?_

Elsa's horrified face flashes through her mind again.

"_I ruin everything."_

Anna stiffens and mumbles, "Please."

She hears him sigh. "If you are certain Princess. But know that if you need anything, I will come to you shortly."

Anna nods and she listens to his footsteps as he strides toward the door. Her stomach twists when it unlocks and closes shut. She knows Kai would come to her in an instant.

Kai has always been there for her. On days when she would weep beneath a mountain of blankets, on days when she would complain about dying of boredom, on the days when she was small and filled with confusion and uneasiness with herself. When the King and Queen had become too busy with other more pressing matters, it had been Kai who had helped her when she fumbled with herself as she aged, as her body changed and what had once been familiar became unknown.

_And I still don't know. What's happening to me?_

_"Elsa! Oh, Elsa!"_

She fights back the bile that rises in her throat. It sits at the back, threatening her when she swallows. But right now she can't bear to be near anyone.

_But I hate being alone._

* * *

The second day she awakens, she feels almost refreshed.

Irony, because as she looks out the window, she can see snow falling rapidly. The storm is worse than before.

She's confined to bed the entire day.

* * *

She worsens on the third day.

Kai comes to check up on her when the hour has struck noon and she still hasn't left her bed.

He leaves quickly to fetch the doctor.

She doesn't stir.

_Can't._

Outside, she can hear the wind moaning.

* * *

She recalls almost nothing on the fourth day. Events seemingly meld together, blurring into unrecognizable shapes. Anna thinks she dreams in the time when it's completely quiet and she hears only the storm roaring beyond the castle walls. The visions she sees, however, are like tiny flakes in the air. She tries to catch one only for it to melt in her palm.

Anna opens her eyes once, but only to rise and retch. She empties her insides upon her sheets and passes out soon after.

She doesn't hear the servant at all when they come to clean the sheets. She isn't disturbed when Gerda changes her clothes.

Kai and Gerda are constants in her room, going back and forth to bring her fresh damp towels that are placed upon her forehead. The sheets are changed day in and day out, the sweat that beads fast on her body to soak them considered too much of a danger.

The heat and chill of her body becomes a constant.

The storm continues.

* * *

It's the fifth day when she thinks something fundamentally changes.

She's weightless.

Floating?

_No._

But she's like a feather.

She drifts through the hallways, the hem of her nightgown fluttering at her knees. Though she feels the chill in the air, it's distant and indistinct. It passes between her legs like a hush, a low far away wind that is gentle in its caress.

_Almost like Elsa._

Persistent, there. Never forgotten, something she can _almost_ touch. Something that is constantly out of reach, slipping right between her fingers.

She stops at the door.

It seems larger than she has ever known it to be. As a child, the door had always been too tall for her to reach, for her tiny fingers to grasp its knob in the hopes of turning it—to be let in.

Now, though she is older, taller—_stronger?_—the door seems bigger than ever. In that moment, it towers above her, reaching toward the ceiling. She trails her eyes up along the wood, all the way up to the ceiling. She narrows her gaze, trying to see where the door and the ceiling touch, but for whatever reason, shadows permeate the castle's ceiling. She can't see where the door ends and thus it seems to go on forever, growing and growing and she is suddenly smaller, suddenly shrinking.

She's five years old and her fingers rise up to touch the doorknob.

"_Please let me in."_

* * *

The sixth day she knows only one thing.

"_It isn't what you think! I can explain!"_

Even in dreams she cannot escape the image of Elsa, of her wide, frightened blue eyes.

* * *

The seventh day she doesn't even dream.

* * *

_"Please. Please don't leave me."_

Who is she calling? There is no one in the void and no matter where she looks, she can't see anything. There is no darkness, no fog for her eyes to try to pierce through. She isn't conscious of her gaze moving back and forth, she can't feel her head turning this way and that.

There is nothing.

There are no shadows, no silhouettes, nothing that could even hint to her that there is _light_ somewhere, that she isn't standing in the void—only in the dark.

"_Please don't leave me."_

She wonders if this is how they felt.

They never did find the bodies.

* * *

It's morning.

When Anna opens her eyes, light is peeking through the curtains. It's gray and weak, but as she stirs from under the sheets and rises, she realizes one thing.

It's the first time in a long time that she has seen_ sunlight._

The storm has stopped. Everything is blanketed in white. No snow falls from the sky and she stares at how peaceful Arendelle looks.

* * *

"A week?" she croaks.

"Yes Princess, you've been sick for a week," Kai says.

He pours her another cup of tea and hands it out to her.

* * *

When she wakes in the morning, she doesn't have the faintest idea of what to do. At first, she isn't sure what rouses her from sleep. Then Anna feels the discomfort between her legs. She inhales sharply and instinctively sits up. Her head swims and her vision spins. A groan splits from her throat and she regrets rising, a throbbing pain clattering in her skull. But the dull ache between her legs demands her attention.

"K-Kai?!"

Anna doesn't have to wait long.

There are no women in the castle like her, so it's Kai who has soothed her at times, when Gerda couldn't. He's right out the door, pulling it open with a tray of breakfast when she calls for him. Her startled cry makes him react instantly. He hurries his stride and is at her side in seconds, placing a calming hand on her arm.

This isn't the first time it's happened to her and it's not the first time she's become hard. She isn't sure why this particular time has unsettled her. Maybe it's the sickness, the heat, the fatigue…

"_Elsa. Elsa, Elsa, Elsa!"_

She doesn't consider that it could be anything else.

"It's normal," Kai says gently, placing the tray on her nightstand. He clinks a spoon on a bowl of soup and holds it out for her, brown eyes flickering with understanding. "This happens sometimes Princess, there is nothing wrong with you."

It's strange. Anna's fingers tremble as she takes the bowl and lifts the spoon to her lips.

The storm has passed by over Arendelle now and it looks to be a much calmer winter. But her stomach won't stop twisting and her chest seizes every time she looks at the white world beyond her window.

_Are you sure there's nothing wrong with me Kai?_

* * *

Anna stares at the door.

It's smaller than she remembers.

It's white and old and she can see the nicks and cracks where it has splintered with age. If she turns her chin up, she can see where the top of the door is, see that it doesn't connect to the ceiling. If she turns her chin down, she can see the crack at the bottom of the door, where a low light parts shadow, the only indicator that there is something—_someone_—beyond the door.

_Elsa._

Her heart begins to race.

Would Elsa want to see her?

_She doesn't want to see me on other days, why would this be any different?_

Maybe Elsa would respond not with silence, but rejection.

"_I heard everything!"_

Her breath catches.

She flees down the hallway.

* * *

Anna avoids the hallway like the plague. She doesn't take her meals down in the dining room, though Halvard grudgingly admits she's well enough to leave her room.

_But I can't. It would be terrible if I saw her. _

She can't erase the image of Elsa's horrified face and every time she steps outside her bedroom, she can't help but hear the fleeting footsteps of her sister.

_I can't do that to Elsa. I can't ruin whatever else is left. I can't, I can't, I can't. _

So Anna continues to rest in her bed, watching the winter, white wonderland that is Arendelle crawl by.

She falls asleep even before the sky turns dark.

* * *

There's someone in the room with her.

She knows it the moment she's awake. She doesn't even remember waking up, just that at one point she was asleep and now she isn't. Her eyes rove around her room and she watches the shadows waver from the weak light of her candle. She doesn't remember lighting it. A breeze from the open window—_when did I open that? Kai closed it, didn't he?_—blows through the room and she shivers from its chill.

The chill drafts through the room and over her bed. She shivers again as it trails along the sheets and brushes her lower torso. It occurs to her then that she's sitting up in bed. She doesn't remember rising from the sheets when she awoke. It feels like she's watching everything through a haze. There's a disconnect between her mind and her body. Her hands lay resting on her lap, clutching lightly at the sheets. She can feel the chill seep through her nightgown and to her skin, but she's not cold. It doesn't come to her as a surprise that she isn't cold. She thinks it should, but something about the cold is soothing and she realizes then that she isn't hot either.

At most, she's warm.

Warm and breathing and _alive._

That's when she knows it. Something clicks.

_Elsa?_

Her sister is here.

She doesn't know how she knows. She doesn't even see Elsa at first. Something prickles her at the back of her neck, making the baby soft hairs there rise. She turns her head this way and that, eyes scouring the contents of her room, but she doesn't see her sister.

_But you're here, somewhere. I know you are._

And just like that, Elsa appears.

She's standing at the foot of her bed, stiff as a statue. Or rather, wavering like a ghost. The edges of her blur in and out and her face is unclear. Something tells Anna, whispers in her ear, that this isn't happening—that it's the heat of her illness, the delusions of her lingering fever.

She ignores those whispers.

"Elsa?" she calls out, and she's surprised at the clarity of her voice. No sickness pervades its timbre and when her lips part her mouth is clear and wet. She swallows and when she feels it bob up and down, it goes down without pain. The back of her throat is free of mucus and she moves her tongue in her mouth easily. It doesn't feel swollen or dry from sickness and there is no sweat beading the nape of her neck. She feels completely fine.

_It's a dream. I know it's a dream._

"You're not here," she says to her sister, to the mirage, teal eyes widening.

Elsa only stares at her.

Her eyes are unmoving. It's unnerving to hear—_see_—the silence of her sister without the door blocking her.

Anna tenses and her mouth purses. She bites the bottom of her lip and growls low in her throat, more out of unease than true anger. "Well? Say something Elsa."

A pale hand comes to rest on the edge of her bed and that alarms Anna more than anything.

"Say something! Just this once!" she says, sitting straighter in bed, clutching tightly at the sheets now with a knuckle-white grip.

The other hand joins its twin and Elsa moves closer to press her knees against the bed.

Anna's heartbeat picks up.

_No._

"Please!" It's in her throat now, tight and hard.

When Elsa moves to crawl atop the bed, she knows then that she won't get an answer for the night.

Elsa moves like how she'd imagine a cat would move, if she would've ever seen a cat up close and not just in her books. She's languid and slow, crawling atop the sheets toward the center-top of the bed—towards _her_. Her heart hammers against her rib cage, its roaring pulse violent in her ears.

_What is she doing here?_

The last time she saw her sister, Elsa had run off in a panic. Now, her sister is calmer than water. It's disorienting and yet she can't look away from the slender blonde.

Anna can see everything through the dark fabric of the dress Elsa always seems to wear. The velvet cloth moves with the stretch and pull of Elsa's limbs. It shimmers along her thighs when they flex, flutters along her arms as they stretch, hangs off her torso in just the slightest way. Her eyes dart to the collar of Elsa's jacket which, while snug, is open at the top, a few buttons undone.

Her heart is louder than a thousand horse hooves. Her palms begin to sweat, and she can feel it collect on the nape of her neck, on the temples of her forehead.

Her sister shouldn't be here. Her sister shouldn't be here at all.

_"I ruin everything."_

Anna's eyes are frantic and she's dimly aware her back presses against the headboard. Her breathing quickens and her lungs expand violently for air.

_No, no, no. This can't be happening. This isn't right. Elsa was—__**is**__ disgusted with me! Why is she—_

The bed creaks and Anna gasps. Ice-blue eyes penetrate her cracked walls like glass. She shakes like a leaf, but Elsa pays her nervousness no mind. The smile that curls on the edge of her sister's mouth renders all movement null and Elsa's lips part slightly, cooing when she finally draws near.

The soft, gentle sound makes Anna's pupils dilate. Her limbs go slack. A scent wafts over her nose, fragrant and crisp.

_I can smell her perfume._

The thought, sounding small even in her own head, is fleeting. She pants when Elsa moves to hover over her lap. Her eyes flicker across her sister's face, throat bobbing up and down._ This is a dream right? _She ignores the fact that in her own mind, she thinks of it as a question. None of this can be happening. None of this at all. She can't be experiencing this after what she has done. Guilt grows in the pit of her stomach and claws up her chest.

_I shouldn't be. I shouldn't be, I shouldn't be, I shouldn't be._

_I shouldn't—I can't!_

Elsa inhales.

Anna does the same, sharply.

"Elsa?" she questions again, praying, hoping for an answer.

Elsa is weightless upon her lap. Her eyes glow and Anna swears she can see through her. She hovers inches above Anna's lap, thighs parted so that her knees press against the sides of Anna's hips, straddling her. Her hands are hanging in the air, fingers still. They linger just a few inches above Anna's chest, fingers splayed as if she wants to hold, to touch. Anna feels her stomach churn, but rather than the sickness she has felt for days, it roils with need.

Her eyes dart from Elsa's hands to her face, back and forth.

She wonders whether to wait or to—

_Stop her? Pull her closer? No! I scared her last time!_

"E-Elsa?"

When Elsa leans forward, Anna moves at last.

Her hands reach out, something—_need, or alarm? Love?_—driving her. She catches Elsa's wrists and Elsa stiffens. Her lips part and her face, which is suddenly clear and sharp, flashes in surprise. Anna feels the drumbeat of her heart again and she licks her own lips. They feel dry and cracked and she's warm all over, even though she wears nothing but a nightgown, even though there's an icy wind all around them.

Why won't Elsa speak?

Why won't she say something?

_Is she that disgusted with me?_

"Say something," she says again, hoarse.

It's so quiet without the howl and thunder of the storm. Her pulse quickens and her nerves jump. She's confused and the guilt creating goosebumps on her skin makes her want to be certain. _I need to know you don't hate me. O-or you do!_

Elsa's lips part again and they tremble.

"Anything," she pleads, teal eyes searching her sister's face.

_I made a mistake last time. I don't want to ruin it all again._

"Elsa, _please._"

Anna is so focused on Elsa's quivering lips that she doesn't notice when Elsa's hands twist to cup her own wrists, touch feather-light.

"Are you lonely?"

She almost doesn't hear it.

Her head snaps back. Her eyes widen. Her heart roars in her ears.

Elsa's eyes are colder than a glacier. "I heard you crying for me."

Anna blanches, ripping her hands from Elsa's grasp, as if burned.

_"Don't! Don't come any closer."_

"_Please don't leave me."_

"W-What?" Anna stammers, holding her hands to her chest. "What do you mean?"

Elsa moves and Anna pulls back, but her sister chases her—_and where is the irony in that?_—until she presses against Anna, cheek to cheek, lips right against her ear. Her breath is soft and steady, cold.

Elsa's words send a stab of pain through her heart. Anna chokes on a sound halfway through her throat, eyes watering.

"Elsa?" she mewls.

_What is she doing?_

It can't be that easy. Her sister couldn't possibly have forgiven her transgressions.

Elsa doesn't answer her at first, moving instead to hover above her. Her arms come down to rest upon Anna's shoulders and Anna shivers from the chill of them.

Elsa's eyes glow in the dark.

Her hands stroke Anna's shoulders through the thin cloth of her nightgown. When Anna shivers again, she grips her tightly for a moment and her nails sting Anna's skin. She jumps at the feeling and Elsa's hold loosens. She coos and trails her hands down Anna's shoulders, moving them to the front of her nightgown.

Her fingers play with the buttons and Anna swallows hard.

"Elsa?" she asks again.

Her eyes, so light a blue they're almost white, dart back and forth from Anna's gaze to the buttons of her nightgown. Elsa fiddles with them, but she does nothing else. Something nags at the back of Anna's mind, as if there is some signal here she is supposed to recognize, something to break the silence, to break the spell. She opens her mouth and wets her lips and Elsa's eyes flick down to track the movement, parting her own lips and mirroring her action. Anna feels once again the beat of her heart against her rib cage.

"Are you lonely, Anna?" Elsa whispers.

Anna trembles as Elsa flicks a button open, slipping a hand inside. God, she's _cold. _Elsa's skin is ice as her hand drags down the small opening of her nightgown. Anna trembles as Elsa widens the gap, flicking it open button by button. At the last one, she pauses and when their gazes meet again, Anna swallows.

"It's okay," Elsa coos, "I'm here now."

She wonders at the odd softness to Elsa's words, so much in contrast to the cool hardness of her eyes.

Elsa peels open the nightgown.

Anna is certain that if she hasn't already died from her illness somewhere along the line, she's certain she'll die from the speed of her heartbeat. It pounds and pounds and pounds in her chest, like a thousand drums echoing the roar and clap of thunder. Her chest seizes with the feeling, a sharp sound passing her lips as she inhales. Elsa doesn't seem to notice, eyes focused on what she has revealed.

Anna isn't certain if she wants Elsa to look away or not.

_I should want her to look away. I shouldn't want her to look. She shouldn't __**be **__here. _

After several long moments and Elsa still hasn't said a word, she pipes up, voice meek, "Is- I-is something wrong, Elsa?"

The thought that maybe something is wrong, that maybe what Elsa sees is something she finds distasteful to her, shouldn't sting as much as it does.

_Look away._

"You've grown."

It's soft. It goes almost unheard.

Almost.

She startles, sitting up straighter, spine going stiff. Her grip on Elsa's arms slacken for a moment, then tighten to the point that Elsa gasps. Anna immediately lets go, hands flying back to her nightgown, straight to the buttons. Clumsily, she jerks the collar of her nightgown and tries to hastily button herself up again.

It finally breaks the spell.

The hazy look that has been lingering in Elsa's eyes since the beginning dissipates at once. Her eyes flash and narrow, a crease forming between her brow. She grabs Anna's hands in hers and Anna thinks that the look she gives Elsa can only be described as _wounded_, for Elsa's piercing gaze softens.

"What are you doing?" she whispers.

Anna swallows. "I-I..."

_I don't know. What should I be doing?_

She's so conscious of the way her breathing is heavy, chest rising and falling in shallow dips.

Elsa's is too.

_Not this. Definitely not this._

Elsa doesn't give her long to mull in her confusion. She lets go of Anna's hands and Anna shivers at the loss. Elsa hesitates for only a moment, fingers curling and grasping at air. She licks her lips again and Anna tracks the motion, hyperaware of how sharply she sucks in a breath. Elsa raises her left hand and Anna follows it with her eyes, watching it uncurl and lower to her right breast where she presses the flat of her palm against Anna's chest. In that very moment, Anna is positive that Elsa can feel the drumbeat of her heart, pounding just underneath her fingertips. It's loud, thundering in her ears.

_And it's beating for her._

The realization causes warmth to flow from the crown of her head all the way down to her toes.

Her fingers flex and Anna croaks when the peak of her breast stiffens beneath Elsa's cold hand.

"You've really grown, you know?" Elsa says, voice no more than a silken hush. It's soft. The words pass over her like a caress, settling on her ears like freshly fallen snow.

The candlelight paints the room in a dim orange glow and Anna watches the shadows on the back wall waver and grow.

"You've grown so much," Elsa continues. Anna's eyes dart back to her and the heady look in Elsa's eyes sends a tremor down her spine. The pupils of her eyes are dilated and the iris is dark and stormy, so different from their usual pale icy hue.

It's almost somber.

"I wasn't there to see it."

Her heart drops to the pit of her stomach with all the weight of a stone.

Anna opens her mouth to speak, but not for the first time this evening, she finds her tongue too thick to form words. What does Elsa wish for her to say? Does she want Anna to reassure her, comfort her? Tell her that it's fine, all is well? There's a slight bitterness that collects at the back of her tongue at that.

_"I heard everything!"_

She quivers in place.

Instead, all she rasps is, "You shouldn't be here."

And Elsa _shouldn't _be here and something is nagging at the back of Anna's mind that she _isn't_, that this is some twisted, vulgar dream that she's having. That it's the fever, it's the storm, it's anything but her own ugly desires.

_"Elsa! Elsa, Elsa, Elsa."_

God, had her voice really sounded so wanton that night?

A noise, small and frail, worms it's way up her throat and past her trembling lips.

"Do you want me to leave?"

She watches the shadows grow bigger, darker. The candlelight is dying.

She isn't completely conscious of her hands finding purchase on Elsa's hips, fingers digging into the velvet fabric.

She gulps. "No."

_Please don't leave me._

Elsa's eyes are the softest she's ever seen them. She ignores the worm whispering in her ear that she hasn't seen them clearly in years.

_Please._

Desperation is the only word she thinks is adequate enough to describe the longing in her chest. She tugs Elsa gently and her sister falls into her lap with a quiet gasp. Her arms move to wrap around Elsa's waist and she steadies the girl against her chest, Elsa dipping her head to nuzzle into the crook between her neck and shoulder. Anna shifts and raises her knees, parting her legs to allow Elsa to fit in more comfortably. Her sister takes the invitation, wrapping her arms loosely around Anna's shoulders.

She fits snugly in between Anna's legs.

The realization makes her stir beneath her nightgown.

She holds Elsa to her for a little while, trying not to tremble at the feel of Elsa's clothed, supple breasts pressing against her chest. Elsa's breath falls in a cold gust against the warming skin of her shoulder. She counts the girl's breath in her head, a gentle _one, two, one, two_. When she feels Elsa take another breath and her chest rises deeply, Anna rises with her. The stirring beneath her nightgown brings a throbbing reminder and her hands cup Elsa's hips with a knuckle-white grip, a small groan emitting from her lips. She feels a slight pressure on the juncture between her neck and shoulder and hisses when she realizes it's the press of a kiss.

_Do something. T-Take advantage of this._

If it's her own twisted dream, she'll take what she can get.

_Let me have this before I..._

Elsa doesn't stir when she lifts her hands to the collar of her jacket. Gently, she tugs at it and her sister pulls away from her. Her fingers are stiff and jerky as she fiddles with the button of Elsa's jacket. Her breath comes in shallow gulps and sweat begins to bead at the nape of her neck. Her nerves are only heightened by the fact that Elsa is quiet and unmoving. Finally, after some struggle, she undoes the last button and her shaky fingers grip the edge of the jacket. Blood roaring in her ears, Anna peels the garment slowly down Elsa's arms. A lump forms in her throat when she's graced with the sight of the black blue-collared bodice of Elsa's dress. A blue gemstone brooch rests at its collar and Anna's eyes are drawn to it.

_Just like Mama's._

The inside of her stomach rolls over.

_What are you doing? What are you doing? This is your sister. This is __**Elsa.**_

The guilt and perceived disgust are only magnified by her sister's stare.

The look in Elsa's eyes is unreadable again and still, she is unmoving, waiting. Watching.

Anna is drawn to the wintery blue irises like a moth to a flame. She swallows and something curls gently in her chest, sparked to life. She whimpers and her hands, shaking and hesitant, gently cup Elsa's face. Her thumbs barely stroke the high cheekbones, lingering on the pale freckles she hasn't seen in so long.

Elsa's eyes widen imperceptibly and the edges of her lips twitch.

_Can this really be so wrong? _

"No. Stay, please," she whispers, bringing Elsa forward.

She isn't sure what she's expecting and there's still something a little off about holding Elsa like this, about holding her this close. Being _allowed _to hold her this close. She groans again when Elss presses up to her fully, but a spark of irritation ignites in her belly at the feeling of Elsa's bodice against her torso. Impatiently, she wraps a hand around Elsa's back and gropes along her shoulder blades. Elsa shivers in her hold, hands moving from Anna's shoulders down to her waist. She runs her fingers there and teases the jutting edge of Anna's hipbones. Anna twitches underneath her touch and grits her teeth, letting a tiny smirk curl her lips when her fingers find their mark.

Her hands are still shaky and clumsy, more so now that they're beginning to sweat. She clutches at the zipper and tries to tug it down slowly, but a gasp leaves Elsa's lips when her hand yanks it down out of nervousness.

"Slowly. Gently please," Elsa whimpers, squirming in her arms. She presses a light kiss to Anna's shoulder again and Anna allows herself to breathe, taking in big gulps of air. After a few moments, Anna grasps the zipper once again and pulls, much more slowly. The sound of Elsa's bodice coming undone makes the blood pounding in her ears all the louder. Pressed so close to Elsa, Anna once again catches the scent of her perfume.

_S-Something- something floral? Lavender? Orchids? Honeysuckle? _

She breathes Elsa in deeply, nose pushing against the juncture of her neck and jaw, then pulls back. Elsa's eyes are piercing when Anna grasps the collar of her bodice and pulls it down. Her heart leaps somewhere between her chest and throat as Elsa lowers her arms to let the garment fall. Anna feels her lower belly clench as she runs her eyes over the black corset underneath.

_Wow._

Fingers still trembling, she runs her hands all across Elsa's back, greedily taking in the feel of fabric covering sinewy muscle. Elsa sucks in a breath and Anna's eyes hone in on the way her breasts expand, then gently fall. The stirring underneath her nightgown and between her legs turns to a dull throb and her mouth is suddenly dry. Her eyes dart back and forth between Elsa's face and the corset, unsure whether to ask or act.

A soft smirk curls Elsa's lips.

"What do you think Mother and Father would say?"

She looks up sharply, eyes wide.

"W-What?" Anna squeaks, startled.

Uneasiness roils deep in her belly.

Elsa's smile is a little odd, a little dark as a hand drags up from her hipbone to press against her sternum. Anna shivers at the touch and almost mewls when Elsa's finger strokes a stiff peak, nail lightly scratching it. Her smirk widens at Anna's reaction and she glides it down from her torso to her pelvis, eliciting another shudder.

"If they knew how excited you get over this?" she coos.

She can feel her pulse in her throat and the throbbing in her legs is suddenly too much. She shifts and feels herself stir again, freezing when Elsa's eyes flash and dart down to her lap. Her hands quiver upon Elsa's back as her sister stares at the rising tent in her lap. Anna gulps and licks her lips, heat spreading over her cheeks the longer Elsa continues to stare at her. After the longest second in her life, she begins to draw her hands away from Elsa's back, moving to cover her lap.

"Are you shy?" Elsa asks, blue eyes smouldering.

A shiver runs down her spine and she feels blood rush downward. Her hands stiffen around herself.

"Do you not want me to see you?" her sister whispers, red lips curling into a smile, white teeth flashing just the tiniest bit.

Anna chews on the bottom of her lip, huffing softly as she feels a bead of sweat roll down her neck. Elsa continues to stare at her, dark gaze pinning her down. She curls into herself, gripping the fabric above her pelvis. Her cheeks redden and Anna whimpers when Elsa shifts closer, lightly tapping their noses together.

"Do you not want me to see?" Elsa repeats, then, "Am I not allowed to see how much you've grown, little sister?"

The candlełight has completely dimmed, she notices. She counts her breaths—_one, two, one, two—_before moving. Her hands fall away from her lap to brace at her sides and clutch the sheets.

Elsa smiles.

It brings another heat, a darker heat, into the pit of her belly. She wants Elsa to smile at her forever. Her heart clenches when she recalls the fear in her sister's eyes from the other night. She doesn't want to see that ever again.

"You really have grown." Anna is jarred from her train of thoughts, her eyes refocusing on Elsa's face. Her sister's eyes are hooded and one hand gently brushes her hair back, breath ghosting over her cheek. "You're so big now. So much older than that little girl from before, you know?" Elsa coos, leaning in close.

Anna inhales quickly at the feel of Elsa's breasts against her own again. Elsa's hands move to cup her face and she tilts Anna's chin up, murmuring something Anna doesn't hear because Elsa is close, _so_ close. Her perfume is tantalizing and heady and Anna breathes it in through her nose. The throbbing between her legs grows strong and she grips the sheets tightly, parting her lips when Elsa leans down.

But Elsa bypasses her face and Anna hears herself whimper, then jolts when Elsa presses a kiss to the pulse at her neck. Her hands shoot up from the sheets to grab Elsa's hips, nails digging into the exposed skin. She hears, _feels_ Elsa groan against her skin and whines at the back of her throat. Anna pants, blood beginning to boil in her veins as Elsa sucks harshly at the skin. She pulls Elsa farther into her lap until the two of them are pressed completely torso to torso, every shuddering inhale and exhale making Anna quake at the feel of Elsa's breasts and stomach pressing against her. Heat pools in her lower belly and she wraps her arms around Elsa's back, then brings up her knees to wrap her legs around her, locking Elsa into her embrace.

She can feel the curve of Elsa's smile against her neck.

"Don't want to let me go? Think I'm going to disappear on you again?"

Her lips move lower along Anna's neck, shifting between gentle, light kisses that are feather-soft, to harsh, biting nips at her skin. Anna groans and shuts her eyes tight when Elsa moves in her lap and she can feel herself burn and throb at the action.

"You don't have to be," Elsa reassures her and Anna can feel her mouth at her jugular. A shudder rockets down her spine when two incisors dig lightly into the pulsing vein. "I'm not going anywhere tonight," Elsa whispers, nuzzling her neck. "I just want to be with you."

_Is that true Elsa? Is that really true?_

Elsa's arms wrap around her neck and a hand plays with the baby soft hairs at her nape. The action is gentle, done almost mindlessly and a tingle runs down her spine because of it. It tickles her more than anything else, but the tenderness of it makes something inside her warm. Heat, unlike the one rushing and throbbing between her legs, blooms in her chest. It's like the candle on her nightstand, slowly wavering and spreading through her body like a gentle, orange glow. Anna's heart clenches painfully from the sweet, aching feeling.

"Don't. Don't do that," she croaks, burying her face in the space between Elsa's shoulder and neck.

Elsa freezes, arms and hands going stiff all around her. She pulls back just the slightest bit so she can stare at Anna directly.

"Why?" Her eyes flash and they dart back and forth. "Do you not like it?" she whispers.

It's the first time Anna hears something like _hesitation_ in her voice all night.

It's the first time this girl sounds like _Elsa._

She chases after her.

"Don't be soft," she whines, trailing her fingers along Elsa's spine. When she feels Elsa quiver, she lightly bites the girl's shoulder and mouths at her skin. A shiver of true _pleasure_ shoots down her back when she hears—_feels—_Elsa inhale sharply at the action. Her hold tightens on her sister and she digs her teeth in just a bit deeper, lips enclosing around the skin.

Elsa whimpers and fire dances through Anna's veins. She groans when Elsa begins moving again, running her hands all along Anna's back. The gloveless fingers stroke the flames flickering under her skin. She can barely feel the winter cold now.

"If you don't want me to be soft," Elsa whispers in her ear, breath ghosting over the shell, "then what do you want?" There's a _tremble _in her sister's collected voice and Anna once again remembers the quivering figure before her. "Do you want me to be harsh to you, Anna?"

Anna shakes her head as she sucks a bruise into Elsa's neck, feeling something like bravery flooding her veins when Elsa cries out in a shallow gasp. She drags the flat of her tongue over Elsa's jugular, then sucks the skin, quivering at the pulse underneath. Elsa fidgets in her hold.

"No. Not that either," she rasps, trailing kisses along Elsa's exposed shoulder. She moves down to mouth at her collarbone and groans when Elsa jolts. "Don't be soft. Don't be harsh. Just be. Here."

_With me._

There's a moment when it's all just silent. Elsa is still and stiff in her arms, arms dangling around her neck. For that moment, Anna can hear the blood roaring in her ears, heart thudding in her rib cage like a jittery horse. She's frightened that Elsa will pull away, will disappear like a ghost. Or melt and fall away like snow.

_Or drown._

It's the first time she's thought of them like that. That they weren't just _gone_—that they had drowned.

And Elsa could follow them.

_"You have to eat something."_

Elsa slips through her fingers so easily.

She shuts her eyes tight and presses her face into Elsa's neck. Croaking, she mumbles again, "Just be. Just be here."

Blinking back a sudden wetness, she presses kiss after kiss from Elsa's neck to her shoulder, fingers fumbling with the laces of her corset. There's the sound of cloth stretching and unraveling and then it's undone. Anna feels Elsa tremble when the fabric collapses in her hands. She takes a deep breath, closes her eyes, then pulls away.

_You shouldn't want to look. This is __**Elsa.**_

And opens them.

A noise dies at the back of her throat. A shudder runs down her spine at the sight.

Elsa's skin is whiter than snow.

Not white like snow, whiter than snow. _This is a dream? _She tries not to wonder at how that thought eases her. Her hand comes up, but just right before her fingers make contact with Elsa's flesh, she stops. Her eyes flick up to Elsa's face and though her sister is no less than several inches away from her, something about the distance—as well as the _nearness_ of Elsa—makes her ache. It's palpable, their distance is.

_It's a dream... So let me have this._

If she's only allowed to hold Elsa for one night, she doesn't care. She'll accept whatever her sister gives.

When Anna opens her mouth to breathe, she sees Elsa's lips part at the same time. Her hand comes to rest at Elsa's hip and she strokes the edge of the bone in small circles, thumb pressing soothingly into the flesh. They spend a long moment doing nothing, sitting in silence, in the dark, Anna rubbing gentle patterns into Elsa's skin. Elsa's breathing is soft and deep and Anna tracks the rise and fall of her chest.

The moment breaks when Elsa sighs.

It's a long drawn out sigh and Anna's eyes flick up to Elsa's face, a knot forming in her stomach. Her worry eases when she takes in the soft look on Elsa's face. Her brow is creased, but she isn't frowning. Her eyes are hooded and the smallest of smiles curls the edges of her lips. It's a look of adoration. And it's aimed at _her._

A bolt of lightning, of some innate force, hits her chest and she swallows thickly.

_She's so beautiful..._

Anna raises her arms and wraps them around Elsa, pulling the older girl back in.

The moment skin touches skin, the breath is gone from her.

_Oh god._

Elsa's skin isn't just whiter than snow. It's softer, colder too. She feels Elsa's breasts against her own and the throbbing between her legs burns to an indescribable level. She feels Elsa sigh again and sighs with her, breathing her in, taking all of Elsa in. Her hands roam all over her sister's back, greedily stroking and grasping at soft skin. Nails run lightly over an arched spine, tracing every dip and rise of bone. A tiny gasp in Anna's ear makes her shudder and she angles her head to press a chaste kiss on one cheek.

"Anna," Elsa exhales shakily and a pleasant shiver runs down Anna's legs at the way her sister speaks her name. Elsa's hands trail from around her neck, fingertips leaving goosebumps in her wake. Her shoulders twitch as Elsa cups her face, thumbs brushing the skin just under her ears. Soft, full red lips press against the apple of her cheek, cold breath brushing over her heated skin. _"Anna," _Elsa gasps, hips slowly rolling into her.

A guttural moan leaves her lips, shudders racking her body when Elsa presses into her. Her sister lays small kisses all over her face and Anna's eyes flutter shut, dazed by the scent of perfume and feel of soft skin. She lowers her hands to Elsa's hips again and pulls the girl flush against her, pelvic bone to pelvic bone. A whine emits from Elsa's lips when Anna thrusts her hips into her, the hardness between her legs apparent through her thin nightgown.

"Impatient?" Elsa gasps when she pulls away from her.

Her eyes glimmer with amusement and Anna's face reddens. She gulps when Elsa's hands rove down to her chest, skimming her nails across her sternum and breasts. Elsa flicks a finger against Anna's nipple and she shivers, whimpering when she feels herself rise.

"E-Elsa," she stammers, chest heaving, "don't- don't tease?"

It earns her a giggle and Elsa leans down to press a kiss to the hollow of her collarbone. Anna shuts her eyes as Elsa trails kisses down to her chest, rolling her hips into Elsa's pelvis. She's been trying to fight it all evening, but the throbbing below her waist is getting too much for her. When Elsa's lips drift to the small swell of her right breast and wrap around a nipple though, giving a gentle suck, any resistance left is futile. Anna jumps and whines, shudders wracking her body. Though she has kept her worries about the way her body has been slowly changing the past several months to herself, she can't hide the odd sensitivity of her chest here in the dark of night, here in Elsa's arms.

"Elsa. Oh god, Elsa," she pants, thighs and arms trembling.

Elsa pulls away, her lips leaving Anna's nipple with a soft smack.

"You're so sensitive. You're growing still." Her sister's words are soft, barely audible despite the complete silence in her room. With how close she is, Anna can feel every puff of air that falls from her lips as she speaks. The chill of it makes the peak of her breast ache and she is surprised at the yearning that springs forth in her stomach, shiver runs straight down her spine. Heat pools low and deep in her belly at the craving to have Elsa's lips around her again.

And somewhere else, she realizes with a dark flush when she feels Elsa's pelvic bone rub against her again.

"Elsa, don't tease," she repeats, voice a little stronger as she buries her face in Elsa's neck. Elsa coos and her hands glide down from her chest to her waist, one hand dipping below the opened slit of her nightgown to rub just above her waist. Anna jerks and whines, hips rolling forward to meet the motion of Elsa's fingers, back arching.

"What do you want Anna?" Elsa whispers, fingers dipping lower and lower beneath the slit of Anna's nightgown. "You need to tell me what you want. Do you want me to hold you? Embrace you? Kiss you?"

Anna gives a choked gasp when Elsa's fingers finally grace her heated, hardened flesh. She bites down on Elsa's pulse at her neck, eyes shut tight.

Elsa's hands are soft. _Gloveless. Oh god. _It's like feeling silk on her skin, or air or clouds or the touch of feather. It's light and almost not there, just the barest hint of pressure. It teases her nerves, makes it feel like fire is being ignited beneath her skin, springing forth at a single stroke.

It drives her insane.

"Elsa," she whimpers, nuzzling Elsa's neck and quivering all over, hips slowly rolling as Elsa strokes one finger where her pelvic bone and her shaft meet.

Elsa coos and presses kisses along her shoulder, rubbing a circle at the base of Anna's cock. The whimpers of her sister seem to encourage Elsa, for she brushes her fingers around her shaft and wraps them around her base, giving a single squeeze.

"Oh god," Anna meekly cries out, hips jerking and nails digging into Elsa's back.

"Feels good?" Elsa asks, voice hushed as she nuzzles Anna's neck. A pretty pink blush has been slowly flourishing on Elsa's face as her sister moves against her, hands roaming across her back, squeezing and cupping her flesh greedily. Anna nips at her neck and Elsa shivers, tilting her head back and gasping when Anna lunges for it, teeth sinking into the crook of her neck. She whines when Anna sucks a bruise deep into her skin, one hand moving from her back to her front, rising to cup her left breast.

Anna pants as she fondles the supple flesh, delighting in its weight and satiny texture. Elsa's skin is _so_ soft, so smooth and silky. It makes fire run through her veins as Elsa squeezes her shaft once again, hips thrusting up into her hand. She parts her lips from Elsa's skin to nuzzle against her jugular, drinking in the sound of Elsa's heavy breathing, the way her breath comes in shallow pants as Anna fondles her.

"So good, so soft," she murmurs, trailing her lips to the hollow of Elsa's collarbone and mouthing at her skin. She _feels_ Elsa's whimper as it travels up her throat and her toes curl at the sound, tightening her hold on Elsa and trying to bring her in as much as possible. No matter that they're flesh to flesh, with only the bottom of Elsa's dress and Anna's nightgown to part them, they're not close _enough._

_Closer. Need to be closer._

The dress and gown can at least be discarded.

With a low growl, she grips the edges of Elsa's dress that still pool around her waist and tugs. When Elsa startles at the vibration of Anna's growl at her throat and pulls away, Anna flushes darkly. Swallowing, she looks into the question forming in Elsa's eyes, the blush growing brighter on her face.

"Uh," she stutters. She licks her lips and shivers when Elsa's eyes follow the movement, then again when she sees Elsa gulp.

"We should-" Elsa pants, then squirms, "d-do you want to- we should- s-should we? Want to, Anna?"

The tremor in her voice, the hesitation, the blush on her face—it all rushes through her.

_We shouldn't be doing this, right? I shouldn't—this is __**Elsa. **__I shouldn't be thinking of her like this._

Though the thoughts pervade her manner, she finds herself caring less and less as the night continues. Deeper and deeper into the recesses of her mind, locked in a dark hollow, she can only find the selfish wish to continue holding Elsa like this, to be allowed to cradle her in her arms.

_I just want her to be near._

"I want you," she murmurs, leaning in and pressing a kiss just above Elsa's left breast.

Elsa whimpers and trembles as she drags wet kisses down her skin and over her breast. Her toes curl when Elsa shivers as Anna's warm breath puffs over her nipple. Latching onto it, Anna gently suckles at the peak, rolling it along the top of her mouth, tongue flicking around and across it. Elsa whines and melts in her embrace, arms tightening around Anna's neck. She gasps and rolls her hips into Anna's pelvis and Anna pulls back with a groan, face clenching at the feel of Elsa pressing into her hardened member.

The pleasure isn't enough.

_I want this. I want this more than __**anything. **__To hold Elsa like this. To love her like __**this.**_

The realization is like a gear that slides and locks in place within her mind.

Clarity floods her vision. She sees the muscles in Elsa's neck quivering, sees the way her throat bobs as she swallows. Her stomach clenches tightly and she watches a bead of sweat roll down her sister's chest for the first time.

"Don't be afraid," Anna whispers, lifting her eyes to Elsa's gaze. Her sister's eyes dart down and her brow creases, lips quivering. Anna clutches the very edge of Elsa's dress in her hands and begins to tug it gently upwards, the velvet fabric rustling audibly along pale skin. "I won't-" Anna pants and gulps, eyes watching for any hint of fear in Elsa's face. "I w-won't judge you or hurt you," she whispers and a stab of pain shoots her heart when she sees her sister's eyes water. "Elsa, I'm here for you."

Anna pleads with her eyes and for a moment, Elsa just stares back. The dress crumples just beneath her arms and she shakes in Anna's embrace. The princess's fingers tremble, waiting.

"I'm here for you Elsa," Anna repeats, voice quiet and expression softening.

A shudder _visibly _wracks Elsa's body and she gasps. Anna's heart jumps in her throat and her blood roars when slender shoulders shake and then thin arms rise up.

_Wow, this is actually happening. _Anna can't stop herself from fumbling with Elsa's dress as she drags it up, pulse quick and chest heaving. Her cock twitches in her lap and she lets out a tiny moan when she pulls the violet fabric over Elsa's head. _I'm actually dreaming this._

The realization produces a horribly, bone-bare bitterness in stark contrast to the sweet, tender warmth spreading over her sternum and through her body.

_What a dream._

She throws the heavy dress to the side of her bed and it thumps lightly on the floor. The sound sends another clatter of despair striking through Anna's heart and she can't help but sniff, vision blurring. Elsa is _naked. _Whole and completely bare. A thrill of pleasure like no other shoots down her spine when she sees the patch of light curls between her sister's thighs. She's bare there too and the realization sends a shock to her pelvic bone, making her cock twitch against her inner thigh. Elsa whimpers and moves to draw her arms around herself, but glances up at her, eyes searching. The crown princess halts and they lock gazes. Anna lifts her hands and presses the fingertips just barely to Elsa's chest and feels the thudding pace of her sister's heart beneath her skin.

"Anna," Elsa shivers and her eyes flash with worry. "I—"

"You're beautiful Elsa," Anna rasps, tears pricking the corner of her eyes. Her shoulders twitch when she feels Elsa's hands return to her. The coldness of her sister's skin reminds her of winter and the dark glow of her room, coupled with the chill of Elsa's body, brings forth a melancholy atmosphere. Anna's lips quiver and she leans forward, pressing a soft, shaking kiss to Elsa's chin. "You're _so_ beautiful."

_And I missed you so much._

_"Anna!" _Elsa sobs and wraps her arms around Anna's neck, burying her face in her heated skin. Red lips continuously press cold, swift kisses and Anna shudders, groaning and eyes rolling back in her skull. "D-don't—"

_"Don't come any closer!"_

The tears threaten to spill.

"—don't let go, please!" Elsa whimpers, arms tightening around her neck. "H-hold me?"

_Love me?_

"Always," Anna pants, turning a burning gaze on her sister. Elsa trembles in her hold and her blue eyes are wide with fear and desperation once again. "Whatever you want Elsa. I'm here for you," she breathes.

The feel of their hearts beating as one makes her lean back slowly. Elsa's eyes are hooded and her fingers dig into Anna's shoulder as she pants. She shifts, gently easing aside Anna's leg so that she straddles her waist.

All of a sudden, Anna is acutely aware of her throbbing cock, the head twitching against her stomach. She gasps and twists when Elsa follows her, naked skin against naked skin.

"Whatever I want?" her sister asks, pupils dilating and eyes darkening to a deep blue. She bites her lip and Anna stares at the action, need clenching tightly in her stomach. "Do you mean that?"

_"Yes," _Anna gasps, voice low and practically pleading. "Whatever you want Elsa!"

Elsa whimpers and rises a bit. Anna gasps as she moves up her body, trembling when she feels a foreign heat sliding up her thigh. Her toes curl in the sheets and her hands are limp as Elsa passes her waist. Heat slides along her throbbing cock and fire spreads in her veins when she realizes that Elsa is _wet._

"Oh," Anna mumbles, cheeks reddening. There is a fleeting, barest touch of Elsa's lower lips against her cock and she whines, limbs turning to jelly as Elsa crawls up to her chest until her knees meet the side of Anna's face. "Oh, _Elsa."_

Pink has always been one of her favorite colors and now she sees it on something she never thought—never considered—she would. Elsa's sex is flushed, engorged with blood, and wetness dots the edges, leaking down her inner thighs. Anna flushes with blood and excitement at the sight and she groans, hands falling down to clutch at the sheets. Her pulse quickens and it takes everything in her not to jump in so quick. She pants, eyes flickering over the details, feeling Elsa's legs tremble against her head as she looks.

"Anna," Elsa pants and Anna raises her eyes to see her sister looking down at her, blue eyes anxious and watering. "P-please?"

She doesn't have to say it. Something in the back of Anna's mind clicks into place. She's read a few books, curiosity and lack of parental watch had made it easy. The need to know had driven her, but now she can _experience _it. And Elsa is letting her, asking her.

"A-Anna?" Elsa whimpers and that's all it takes.

Anna grasps her sister's thighs, fingers pressing into the soft, white flesh. She pushes her nose right up against her sister's sex and inhales deeply; the sudden desire curling in her stomach drives her to. Her sister shrieks, more out of surprise than anything else. Elsa pants and gasps, hands trembling on her scalp, rubbing gently.

"I-I don't know," Anna begins, lips brushing over Elsa's core with every word, "i-if I'm doing this right." She opens her mouth, presses the flat of her tongue directly against Elsa's outer lips. The cry she hears strikes her very being and she digs the soles of her feet into the sheets.

"M-more," Elsa says and she rolls her hips forward. The action turns Anna's world upside, feeling the slickness above her rub along her skin. "Oh Anna, I don't care how you do it, but_ more _please!"

Anna groans and she arches her hips into thin air instinctively. She digs her fingers into Elsa's legs and licks once more, firmer this time. The taste is indescribable. It doesn't really taste like anything except flesh, but the wetness gathered there is addicting. Anna pulls the engorged lips into her mouth and sucks. Elsa sobs and trembles above her. Teal eyes flick up and watch the sweat rolling down a slender, elegant neck.

The burning and throbbing of her cock is relentless.

She lets go of Elsa with a pop, pressing an open-mouthed kiss against her sister's core. Elsa pants and tugs on her hair forcefully. Light sparks behind her eyelids and Anna groans in response. The cold air brushes over her body and she whimpers, hands traveling around to grasp Elsa's rear, pulling her closer. Her sister's flesh is soft and pliable underneath her hands and she welcomes how Elsa's hips thrust down. Anna opens her mouth, widening her jaw and presses another sloppy kiss to Elsa's sex. Her sister's moan, deep and gratifying. It makes goosebumps rise on her skin.

It makes her shaft pulse and brush the fabric of her nightgown where it lays on her stomach.

"Anna," Elsa pants and she looks up to see her sister's eyes flutter closed, "don't tease me."

Anna groans and the sound reverberates in her throat. The thighs on either side of her head jump, flexing in response to the vibrations. Fingers dig into her skull and she pulls back a bit, pressing her head harder against the manicured nails. It sends a pleasant shock down from her crown and she sighs.

Elsa whimpers when Anna's breath brushes over her core. Another tug at her scalp and Anna is back at it, the tip of her tongue finally parting silken, wet lips.

"Oh, god," Elsa groans and her hips jerks, stomach muscles flexing. "Anna," she pants and Anna delights in the way her name rolls off her sister's tongue, soft and desperate. _"Ah-nnaa."_

The guilt is all but banished from her mind.

Anna sighs, a strange bittersweetness filling her chest as her tongue dips into Elsa's core.

It's wet. Wetter than anything she's accustomed to. The slickness she meets is different than water and she twists her tongue to probe every corner.

The sob and scream Elsa lets out should worry her. Make her realize that they shouldn't be doing this. That last time she had delved into such sinful acts, she had made Elsa _run. _Someone could hear them, come in and expose them.

_But it's a __**dream. **__Let me have this._

Anna moans and pushes her head farther in between her sister's legs. She can't stop her jaw from twitching every now and then, tongue trying to explore every corner inside. But god, Elsa is _wet._

"Nh!" Anna moans and closes her eyes, shivering. "E-Elsa, are you okay?"

"Yes!" Elsa pants, back bowing. She pants and one hand travels around to grasp at the nape of Anna's neck. "Oh, Anna, I need you!"

The words strike something inside her.

_"I need you!"_

Fire erupts in her veins. Anna groans and tilts her head back just a bit, tongue reaching deeper into Elsa's sex and pressing against a spot inside.

The response is instant.

Elsa cries out and throws her head back, spine arching. Pleasure shoots down Anna's spine at the volume of her sister's voice. Elsa is usually so quiet and demure that Anna's mind is dizzy from hearing her scream. Fingers dig into her scalp, pulling roughly at her strawberry-blonde hair. Elsa rolls her hips down and Anna groans, tongue twisting and licking the insides of her sex. She isn't overly hot. There's a strange coolness that feels pleasant against Anna's overheated skin and she chases it with fervor. The tip of her tongue lashes here, _there, _alighting nerves in Elsa's body that have laid dormant. Every moan, whine, twist, and thrust from Elsa's body makes her erection throb _painfully. _

She whimpers and presses her legs together, trying to find some source of friction to relieve the ache in her lower stomach.

"Elsa," Anna pants, pulling out from her sister's dripping core. "God, Elsa, you taste so good. I..." she trails off and lets the flat of her tongue roughly lick the outer lips before her.

Elsa chokes and grinds against her mouth, but the lack of coordination means she rubs against Anna's chin. Anna pants and lifts her neck, ignoring the ache that begins to grow immediately. She nuzzles the area just at the top of her sister's sex, nose and lips brushing the hooded bundle. The tip of her tongue draws a tiny circle, just the lightest pressure and the whine she receives in response makes every muscle in her body threaten to go slack.

"Anna, please, faster! T-touch me more." Elsa looms over her and Anna's eyes dart up to see her chest heaving, breasts slick with sweat and nipples stiff. A shudder runs up and down her spine when Elsa claws at her scalp, mouth open and eyes closed in pleasure. "R-right there. Where you were."

"O-okay," Anna mumbles, quivering beneath her sister. She fights for concentration, trying to ignore the way her cock twitches against her stomach, underneath her nightgown. But when she lifts Elsa's hips up higher, trying to guide her into a better position, she sees the head of her shaft through the gap in her robe. It's swollen and purple. Pre-cum leaks from her slit and a drop slides down and onto her stomach.

_I need her._

The realization causes an unbearable bolt of lightning to arch down her spine, striking her tailbone and making her scrotum tighten. Anna jumps underneath Elsa and her older sister fumbles, releasing her hair and squeaking in surprise.

"A-Anna, w-what?! Are you alright?" Elsa leans over her, worry overtaking the need in her voice.

"Nhg," Anna hisses and withdraws her hands from Elsa's rear, clutching the hem of her nightgown. She's so hard. Harder than when she had masturbated a week ago and having Elsa so close by, smelling the scent of her perfume and feeling the chill of her body is making it difficult to ignore her desire. "Elsa, I-I'm—"

The gasp she hears makes her head snap back. She sees realization dawn on Elsa's face and her heartbeat pounds in her rib cage. Anna swallows, quivering underneath her sister's gaze.

"Can you- Elsa I need _h-help_."

She doesn't have to say anything more. For once, Elsa doesn't hesitate. Her sister slides down her body and her hands are at the edge of her nightgown before she can fully contemplate what's occurring. Anna shudders and rises onto her elbows as Elsa grabs her gown and tugs up forcefully. The silk fabric trails up and Elsa tugs on it a few times before Anna sits up and lifts her arms. It's over her head and discarded before she realizes.

The chill hits her right where she's hard and hot.

Anna is as bare as the day she was born and she blinks, trembling as ice-blue eyes trail over her form. She fights back every urge in her body to cover herself.

But Elsa's hands are already prying apart her legs, exposing the entirety of her throbbing erection and tightened scrotum.

Anna gasps and she grips the sheets tightly. The cold air is suddenly more tense, hanging over her nether region. She gulps, thighs quivering as Elsa takes her all in. Fingers, steady and determined, travel up her legs, over her knees, and find purchase on her thighs. Anna shakes, whimpering when she sees Elsa's eyes darken. The tip of her tongue licks her red, red lips.

"E-Elsa?"

Her sister glances up. There's only a thin ring of blue in her eyes. The hungry look shouldn't thrill her as much as it does, but she can't help it. It penetrates her heart, enclosing the pulsing, cracked organ like a storm, battering at its wall until everything is left out in the open.

"Elsa," Anna whispers and her sister looks up. Her lips part and she swallows. Anna watches her throat bob up and down. A shudder makes it way to her toes. Her heart is beating a mile a minute. Her cock twitches and blue eyes dart down to watch the movement. She pants and says heatedly, "I have an idea."

"Idea?" Elsa asks, brow furrowing. Her voice is faint, but she's listening.

Anna nods and reaches forward, grasping Elsa's shoulder. "T-turn around."

Elsa sits up, trembling. Her eyes widen and Anna sees the realization down on her face.

"Hurry," she pleads and her older sister shifts. Need coils tightly in her stomach when she sees a flash of Elsa's sex as her sister turns, pale back to her.

Guilt flares up, but she pushes it down, gulping as Elsa settles on her lap. She lays back down, acutely aware that Elsa is right up close and personal with her throbbing erection.

"Oh," her sister breathes, shoulders tensing when Anna grabs her hips and tugs her back. "Oh, Anna, l-like this?" Blue, wide eyes glance over at her.

"Ahuh." Anna has never trembled so much in her life before. She's positive that she won't last long. Elsa is already dripping more than before. "We can finish together this way."

There's a still silence for a moment.

Then, "Okay."

Anna's hips lurch, a strangled cry splitting from her throat when cold, cold, _gloveless _hands wrap around her cock. There's no hesitation. Elsa squeezes her and a brilliant flash of white sparks over Anna's eyes.

At first Anna is sure she's finished, but the white light dies down and the beat of her heart and cock pulse in her ears. She pants, eyes watering as Elsa's fingers drag up and down her shaft. The friction is palpable. So readily_ there_ that she can't help but melt underneath Elsa's touch.

"Oh, Elsa," Anna exhales shakily, hips thrusting weakly into her sister's hands. "T-thank you, that feels in-incredible!" One hand wraps around her base and squeezes firmly and she cries out. Another trails up and a thumb rubs into the thick, pulsing vein on her underside. Icy breath brushes over her head, so close and tantalizing she can't help but whimper and moan.

She flexes her fingers on Elsa's thighs, vainly trying to bring her closer. The back and forth motion of Elsa's hips as she strokes her is almost enough to distract her from the pleasure racing down her spine and coiling at the base of her shaft. _Almost. _Anna lifts her head, tongue poking out and licking a tiny trail over Elsa's sex, but any hope she has of continuing is interrupted when Elsa reaches down and grabs her scrotum. The sensitive sack is rolled and pinched between slender fingers.

"God!" Anna screams and falls back, twisting her head this way and that. Spots are dancing in her vision and her hips jerk up. "Elsa, I-I can't hold back much longer!"

Elsa glances over her shoulder at her and a jolt runs up her spine and to her brain when she sees a bead of sweat roll down the side of her sister's face.

"A-Anna, try to. P-please," Elsa whimpers and then rolls her hips, folds brushing over Anna's mouth. "I'm still…"

Anna pants, fatigue beginning to course through her limbs. Still, she tightens her hold on Elsa's waist and lifts her head. "Yes, of course Elsa. W-whatever you want," she breathes, mouth opening and tongue pressing against her sister's sex.

The groan she receives in response energizes her.

Anna moans and soon her tongue pushes through, tasting the slickness there once again. Her eyes flutter shut, delight pulsing through her when she hears the raspy, shuddering sigh. Elsa rolls her hips down, gasping in pleasure when Anna angles her thrusting and licking. She wriggles her tongue, trying to find the spot she had struck before. Her sister shifts and for a moment, Anna thinks Elsa just wants to be comfortable. Then, she feels breasts press against her stomach. Her cock thrusts into stroking hands only to press against something soft and wet.

_Wait, what?_

Anna's eyes snap open, growing impossibly wide when she feels something wet and _cold _enclose around her.

_Oh, god!_

She pulls back, tongue retreating, just in time to glance down and see Elsa's mouth envelop her shaft.

"Elsa!" Anna's hips thrust up, driving into the velvety-soft wetness that's _vastly_ unfamiliar and pleasurable. She sees stars, lights, spots of color. "Oh, I-I won't h-hold on!"

Elsa moans around her head, sucking roughly. Anna throws her head back, twisting underneath her sister. She's only halfway around her cock, but Anna already feels as if she's going to burst.

"Please!" Anna cries out, toes curling into the sheets.

Elsa groans and pushes down, trying to swallow more of her engorged member. Teeth run over her shaft and Anna sobs when a curious tongue laves around her glans. She goes limp, hips thrusting weakly into the strange coldness that is her sister's mouth.

Elsa pauses, cheeks billowing as she gives one harsh, single suck.

_I'm going to die!_

Anna's spine arches and every nerve in her body is shot.

But her sister draws back, pulling away and gasping.

"W-what?" Anna blinks, brow furrowing in confusion.

"Anna," Elsa whimpers, turning pleading blue eyes on her. She rolls her hips and Anna notices her quivering, pale pink flesh again. "I-I need it t-to—"

Anna shoots up before her sister can finish. She digs her fingers into Elsa's hips and tugs her back, mouth opening and tongue parting wet lips in seconds.

"Yes!" Elsa cries out and grinds down into her.

Anna moans in response and shuts her eyes. The pleasure building in her pelvis tells her she doesn't have much time.

_I have to finish Elsa off before I—_

Cold, full lips wrap around her head, cutting her train of thought. Anna whines in the back of her throat as, this time, Elsa doesn't stop. Teeth and tongue run over her and she feels her cock pushing in deeper into her sister's throat as Elsa swallows her whole.

And then everything is a whirl of thrusting, licking, probing, and sucking.

Anna trembles, moaning and twisting underneath Elsa as her sister meets her pelvis before pulling up, sucking harshly on her head and then moving back down. Her chest heaves with effort and every bob of Elsa's head sends a spike of pleasure through her cock and up her spine.

"A-Anna," Elsa mumbles around her cock, lips fluttering around it. "You're h-hard."

She doesn't have much time at all.

Anna's eyes open in thin slits and she blinks, pulling back just a bit. Elsa whines at the loss of contact and tries to follow her tongue. But Anna trails the tip down to the hooded bundle of nerves. She presses the tip against it, hears a surprised shout, and then wraps her lips around it.

The thrashing and shaking Elsa does above her nearly unhinges her.

"Elsaaa," Anna moans and sucks harshly.

She doesn't even have time to enjoy Elsa's body climaxing, body tensing.

Her sister dives back down, enveloping her cock in her cold mouth and bobs her head furiously.

Bright stars burst in her sight and she screams around Elsa's clit, thrusting up and expelling in her sister's mouth. Her cock pulses, her hips jerk, every muscle in her body pulls tight, and she's erratic underneath her Queen-to-be.

Elsa's cold mouth sucks almost painfully, throat flexing, and pulling her in. It feels like she's being drawn into a storm, shaking and coming inside that velvety-softness.

Anna is vaguely aware of Elsa continuously rolling her hips and muscles contracting around her tongue before she passes out.

* * *

And then she wakes, eyes snapping open.

She's spent. She's aware of that first. Her limbs are trembling and she finds it difficult to move. Her body is covered in sweat and she's twisted in the sheets.

The emptiness she feels around her is what she notices next. She's cold and it isn't the welcoming, almost pleasant cold that Elsa had brought in her dreams. It's acrid, sinking low in her bones and quickly ridding her of the lingering pleasure.

Anna stares at the ceiling, panting from exertion. Her candlelight has long since gone out. Or perhaps it was never lit. She rises from the sheets, blearily blinking at the gray sunlight filtering in from the curtains. It's what awoke her, she's sure. She ignores the dull throbbing between her legs. She doesn't want to lift the sheets to see the mess she's most likely made. She can feel the stickiness on the inside of her thigh.

"God…" she groans as she edges off the bed. She's not sure if it's a prayer in remorse or a hollow expletive. As she rises from the bed though, something catches the heel of her foot and she stumbles with a gasp, hand reaching out to grab her nightstand for balance. Anna groans as the world swims around her, fatigue hitting her hard.

"I'm still not over this," she grumbles, shaking her head to clear her dizziness. When her gaze falls to the floor though, Anna feels her heart stop.

_No. It can't be._

Slowly, Anna reaches forward, arm shaking, hand trembling. Her heart is in her throat again and her eyes dart over the letters. When she feels the leather cover underneath her fingertips, tears prick the corners of her eyes. Anna chokes, shuddering, and darts down, snatching the book off the floor. It's cold and logically she knows it's because it has been sitting on the floor for a while, tucked under the shadows of her bed.

But in her heart, she thinks otherwise.

_Elsa. Oh, Elsa!_

Anna sobs and clutches it tightly to her chest, settling herself shakily back on the edge of her bed. Her vision wavers and she bites her lip to keep her cries small.

_You came to see me didn't you? You came to see me when I was sick._

Anna whimpers and buries her face in her arms, inhaling shakily. She smells the cool crisp scent of winter from the tiny book. It causes a shiver to wrack her body.

"I'm so sorry Elsa," Anna sobs, tears rolling down her cheeks. Her face is still flushed and fatigue from her activities threads through her limbs. But the shock of her discovery pushes her over the edge. "I c-can't help you with anything. Not with the castle or the town. Or anything to do with being Queen! I-I couldn't help you with Mama and Papa passing away when I should have been able to!" Her shoulders shake and she squeezes her eyes shut. Guilt and longing stab at her heart. Anna whimpers, colder than ever in the dead of winter. "I-I'm sorry! I'm so sorry. I-I'm not doing anything right..."

_But I can make up for it._

The conclusion and realization drapes over her like freshly fallen snow. Anna shivers and lifts her head slightly. Tears linger on her eyelashes and she sniffs, cheeks red. She inhales shakily and holds out the book, eyes flickering over the cover. Her fingers are unsteady as she opens it, tracing every character on it.

It's a book on health and her heart clenches as she skims over passages.

"This was your doing wasn't it Elsa?" Anna whispers to herself. She brings the book back to her chest and rests her forehead on her knees, thoughts racing, an idea forming in her mind. "M-maybe I can't help you with anything i-important Elsa, b-but there is something I _can_ do."

_I can stay away._

And then, perhaps the feelings blooming in her heart would stop like the storm.


	4. The Spiral

**A/N:** Because of the addition of chapter three, a lot of re-planning was done for this chapter, as chapter three was not in our original draft. Storm will be extended by a chapter or two because of this. Now, this is a very fast-paced and less explicit chapter. From here on out, Storm's (admittedly, rather minimal, but we are extremely pleased at the response it has received) plot will be a lot more direct. This was always meant to be a canon divergent story, and it still is. Some things from the movie happen in the second half of the story, but a lot of things will have a much more different take. We also plan to write a short sequel to Storm, to better explore some of the topics and issues that have thus far been addressed in the first half.

We hope this doesn't deter you from reading. Enjoy.

* * *

"Now then, my little prin—"

He's cut off by a hand grasping his leg, tiny, short fingers tugging on the white cloth.

The King glances down, surprise flashing across his face.

They've stopped in the middle of the garden, on their afternoon stroll. It's just the two of them, as it is the few times Elsa and the Queen are together, studying in the archives with music or geometric figures.

So he had suggested a walk, determined to shape those stumbling awkward limbs that was his second child.

"Princess."

He blinks, the frown on his face disappearing to trade with a completely blank expression. "What?"

"_Princess._"

He smiles, though his eyes flicker in confusion, and bends down a bit, ruffling the strawberry-blonde hair that is so like his own. "Princess? Did you mean Elsa? Do you want to go see her? Well, you do know she has lessons with her mother right now, so perhaps in a little bit we can—"

"No, Papa, I'm a princess."

Every bone in his body locks up and his smile is gone. The King quirks an eyebrow, now completely confused.

The hand on his uniform pulls again, clinging tightly to him—_holding_ onto him. He bends down on one knee, running a hand through short hair and tilts his head.

"I'm not quite sure I follow, little one. What do you mean?"

The tiny hand lets go and fiddles with the doll tucked under an arm. Big, blue-green eyes dart back and forth and it's the first time he's seen something like _worry _on his child's face.

"I want to be a princess Papa."

His hand stills and understanding slowly, slowly begins to dawn on his face.

"I-I'm a princess Papa. Right?"

* * *

It's bright. It's incredibly bright. Rays of sunlight spill through open windows and spread along the carpets, coloring it a deep crimson that is just a brighter hue than she's used to seeing. With all the light shining in she can see dust particles float away in the air as she runs back inside, arms spread out and breathless. Everything is the same and yet it all looks different. The green in hanging banners is more emerald than a sickly gray viridian. The purple beside it is royal and vibrant, not drab and dull. The floors practically shine, freshly cleaned and swept, and she glides along them easily. She hasn't seen the castle this bright since—

_I don't remember. _

Amongst the buzz in the air, the thought unsteadies her. The excitement running through her veins stills for a moment and she stops, chest heaving. The large wooden gates are _open _and they don't close. Guards stand next to them, backs stiff and shoulders high. People are streaming in through the castle's entrance like a river and she steps back into the shadows to observe for a moment.

There are so many—_unfamiliar_—uniforms and dresses. So many different colors that she isn't used to seeing. There's the usual blue, a dark blue, the kind her father used to wear, but there's also greens and blacks. She even spots magenta as a young man passes by, following the lead of a slim brunette in pastel pink. The dresses unbalance her even more and she finds herself unable to gaze at just one. Like a hummingbird, her eyes dart back and forth, trailing along the skirts and hems of so many dresses. Sky blue, grass green, lavender—there's a deep, dark red, a bodice that looks so festive and orange she swears fire will spring forth from it and a yellow so soft and light it looks white.

_So beautiful._

It's as if the people in her stories have sprouted wings and leapt off the pages; given real world flesh and moving limbs. Heels and boots step along the castle floors and their clacking rings—_thunders_—in her ears. The scent of summer is grass and ocean, drifting in from the fjord and mountains through the doors and windows. But with all these people, people she doesn't _know _and understand—

_I don't understand the ones around me either though._

—she smells perfume and cologne. Expensive aromas that waft into the air, collide and hang just below her nostrils. She pants, winded by her run from the docks back to the castle. The summer heat swelters above everything and she feels a bead of sweat roll down her nape.

The myriad of voices, smells, and colors disorient her. Her mind is overloaded by sensory and she places a hand against the wall behind her to steady herself, panting, eyes widening.

_I don't—! Woah, there's so many people. Do I greet them now? Later? Should I even be out here? Maybe I shouldn't have ran out to the docks. _

The chime of the bell undoes her and it feels like her brain is clattering in her skull from the vibration. She grits her teeth, pain flaring in her right temple. Her vision blurs.

_The coronation! I have to go! I shouldn't be staying here. I—_

"Princess Anna!"

Anna starts and everything shifts back into focus. She places a hand on her chest, trying to still the rapid beating of her heart, and turns.

Kai is hurrying to her, a frown on his aging face.

"Princess," he hisses and she realizes he hadn't shouted at all. The guests around her keep moving, walking further into the castle grounds.

The bell chimes again. It sounds ominous and her skin crawls from the last toll.

Kai reaches her side and bows. She relaxes, heartbeat slowing down from the feel of his familiar presence. Anna brushes her hands down her dress, cupping them together at her front, and beams up at him. The earlier excitement from before begins to pump in her veins again.

"Everyone is gathering at the chapel Princess." His eyes flicker and she blinks, tilting her head. "The Queen has requested your presence. We can't be late."

_Elsa._

A shiver runs down her spine.

"O-oh. Oh, right of course!" Anna turns in the direction of the chapel, gathering up her skirts. "I was just heading there. I-I heard the bells after all." She laughs and prays her palms aren't sweaty. The bells ring again and her heart flutters in her rib cage. "D-do I go now Kai or...?"

She trails off, unsure. For the first time in forever, her dream is coming to fruition and she finds herself teetering at the reality of it.

_There's so many people here and there's going to be music and light. People are going to be dancing and dining. I won't be alone in the halls anymore and maybe I'll meet someone!_

Her skin tingles and she follows Kai's lead as he gestures in the direction of the chapel. The bell rings again and this time the lyrical sound makes her heart hum, hope and giddiness weaving in her chest like musical notes.

She forgets herself, in that moment.

Forgets her promise of two years. Forgets even the emotions coiling within her veins, the thoughts that have persisted in her mind for so long. In that moment, with the sun lighting the castle grounds and walls, everything is so much brighter that she can't help but hope.

_Maybe things will change._

Anna bounces in the direction of the chapel, exceeding Kai's lead.

_I'll see Elsa!_

She forgets everything but her deepest, most heartfelt wish.

* * *

Anna tries not to fidget. She really does, but she hasn't had to stand still with so many people around her in a long, long time. She keeps her hands clasped together and her shoulders stiff. Her smile is strained. It's for appearance's sake and it's the first time she's had to do anything for _appearance's _sake.

_This is what a princess does, right?_

The crowd falls into a hush around her and she jerks her head up.

Elsa walks down the aisle, garbed in Arendelle's royal purple and green. The sunlight streaming through the stained glass windows catches on her blonde hair and makes it seem as if it's freshly spun gold thread, the lightest she has ever seen. Her shoulders are poised, her hands are folded together—encased in gloves a darker shade than her dress. She holds her chin up high, the picture of elegance.

Anna seizes, breath caught in her throat. Her eyes track every movement, dipping down to watch the hem of her sister's dress as she continues to step toward her place at the altar. She's unable to keep her eyes on one spot. Her stomach twists as she watches the way her sister's cape trails along the floor. It's long and looks heavy. Anna would have considered it to be a fuss to walk with, but Elsa moves so gracefully that she wonders if her sister's form has always been made for this.

The coil in her stomach tightens when she realizes what she's doing. Anna snaps her chin up, forcing her eyes to stare at any other part of her sister that isn't indicative of rolling, moving, and bending.

Teal lands on the set expression of a young face.

Everything pulls together tautly in Anna's body and she digs her nails into the skin of her palm unconsciously. Elsa's lips are drawn into a thin, firm line and her blue eyes stare straight ahead, unblinking. A part of Anna's brain tickles with the notion that Elsa _refuses_ to look anywhere else.

_Elsa hasn't been outside her room or the study. She's probably not used to this._

Goosebumps rise up on her skin and she resists the urge to smooth down her skirts, play with her fingers, do _something _with her hands. She can't keep still in her dress. The satiny texture is unfamiliar, but not unpleasant. It makes her legs tingle and just reinforces the fact that she can't sit _still_.

There's so much happening, so many people sitting in the pews; a few mouths moving in low whispers and it unsettles Anna that she doesn't know what they're saying. She can hear the light clink of the sceptre and globe as they're placed upon a cushion, the click-clack of Elsa's heels as she nears the end of the aisle, and the pounding of her heart in her ears.

Her eyes land upon the brooch tying Elsa's cape together.

_She looks like Mama._

Even with the difference in hair color, Anna can't help but draw the comparison. And with that realization, her shame comes slamming back into her. The vague memory of a cold body pressing into her, whispering and pleading softly. The recollection of that terrible storm from around two years back invades her mind. As Elsa moves up the steps leading to the altar, the scent of perfume and winter—along with something so irrevocably soft and sweet—hits her like an axe to an iceberg.

And with the thought of ice comes all her memories, desires, and selfish want.

_"Elsa!"_

_Oh no. Oh no, no, no, no. You can't be doing this. You've avoided thinking about this for years now. I can't go back on my promise. I __**shouldn't. **__Not now. Not when Elsa has so much work ahead of her now that she's Queen and everything. I can't be selfish like that._

Everything is turned sharply back into focus when she feels a cold draft next to her. The hairs on the back of her neck stand up and Anna jerks her head back, teal eyes widening when she sees Elsa stop and stare at the archbishop. The priest clears his throat and she snaps her head back to look at the altar when he begins to speak in front of every visiting dignitary and citizen of Arendelle.

Anna bites her lip, staring straight at the altar as the choir begins to sing. The events blur around her as she manages a smile on her face, avoiding looking at Elsa directly.

She has been vigilant with her promise since that day and she won't let herself turn around on it now. What used to be trips down the hallway and snippets of conversation to a door had turned into long stretches within the library or the portrait room.

Immersing herself in pictures, words, and fabricated people that she could grow to fancy.

The fire that had sparked in her heart was dimmed by the storm. She pushes down the idea that within her cracked heart is a tiny flame still burning on. She can't hold onto it.

The ceremony continues.

Anna spies the Southern Isles prince near the end and waves to him, happy when he waves back awkwardly. The distraction is welcoming and she takes advantage of it, knowing the presence next to hers would enrapture all her attention if she dared to look.

_Just a little more. Just a little longer and we'll move to the party. Elsa won't want me near her there. I can—_

Light shines in the corner of her eye and she turns back, out of instinct more anything else. Anna blinks, folding her hands together again and stares as Elsa is crowned. The light falls upon the delicate tiara as it's placed on her sister's head. A shiver runs down her spine as it's nestled in her hair, gold upon gold.

_A perfect fit._

The excitement, her shame, hope, and desire. Everything in her stills at the sight of Elsa being crowned. Her heart thuds a soft beat in her ears as her sister reaches for the sceptre and globe.

_She's probably practiced for this day a thousand times._

Anna parts her lips a bit, awed.

_While I've been a fool dancing among pictures._

Her eyes flick down and her back straightens when Elsa goes to remove her gloves. She can't look away, no matter how hard she tries. It's been instilled in her for so long to watch out for a trace of her elusive sister. So when Elsa pulls off her gloves—

_Why are her hands shaking?_

—she finds nothing can distract her from the sight of alabaster skin on fingers she's longed to see and hold.

She can't even understand the words the priest says as Elsa picks up the sceptre and globe to turn around and look upon Arendelle as her new Queen. She can't hear the crowd stand up around them as Elsa squares her shoulders. Even as she turns to face everyone as well, their features are blank to her.

She can't understand them because it would require paying attention to them in the first place.

A smile, as instinctive as her turn, curls on her lips.

"Queen Elsa of Arendelle!"

Anna vaguely hears everyone repeat the announcement, but she's too caught up in the moment to pay attention.

She watches Elsa as her sister watches the people.

_How could I ever look at anyone else?_

Her stomach tightens. Her heart beats painfully in her chest. Anna's smile feels strained, lacking any of her usual exuberance.

Elsa, she realizes, as Queen, stands at the top of everyone now.

And even farther out of her reach than she has ever thought before.

* * *

Music fills the ballroom. It echoes through the castle, reaching her ears on a joyful note. The cheer and song brings the atmosphere of camaraderie and delight. It bounces off the walls and loops through the air. The strings make her fingers tingle and the brass thumps in her heart.

_Everyone is laughing._

Anna pokes her head out, blinking several times at the unfamiliar sight. The ballroom is filled with dancing and the shouting, singing, and merriment is foreign to her that she lingers at the edge.

_Wow._

Anna swallows, eyes darting right and then left. Her hands clutch the side of the pillar and she leans over just enough that she has to balance herself on her toes.

Again, she realizes she's never seen so many people before. Living, breathing, _moving _people. The sight entrances her and she watches men twirl their partners, keeping them at arm's length for a moment before pulling them back with a flourish. Women smile and dip, the curves of their bodies flexing, curtseying, and arching gracefully. Their dresses flow around their legs, the hems spreading outward when they twirl before coming back in and clinging to them. She watches the crowd move as one, music and light creating a scene that she's only read about in books and seen in pictures.

She feels so disconnected.

Anna tightens her grip on the pillar, biting her lower lip. She's been standing here for quite some time now. She isn't supposed to come out yet. _It's not like I was ever allowed to before. _

Something about needing to be announced. Everyone had exited the chapel and she had followed behind until Kai had pulled her aside.

"_Wait here your Highness. We must have everything prepared before we present you and Her Majesty." _

But this is _different_. She's dolled up now, hair swept up and braided into an intricate bun. Just the barest hint of powder applied to her cheeks and mascara to thicken her short eyelashes. Anna suddenly wishes she had urged the maids to do more for her, rather than declining.

She curses her discomfort.

A shadow catches her eye. Anna stiffens, shoulders rising up to her ears.

"Kai!" she hisses, spotting the elderly butler making his way through the crowd.

Her old servant halts immediately before turning and noticing her. The small, gentle smile on his faces eases her nerves a bit. He strides to her and she shrinks away from the pillar, backpedaling into the corner. Anna cups her hands, gnawing on her lower lip as Kai stops in front of her. He looks her up and down, a frown replacing his smile.

"Princess, what's wrong?"

Everything is wrong. She doesn't know the first thing about being a princess. She's never had to learn, far as she recalls. She's never been _taught _how to be a princess. The older she grew, the less her parents kept careful attention on her studies. It was expected of her to keep everything up by herself; mathematics, language, literature, astronomy, geography, history, politics, all of it. Anna remembers pouring over books at her desk, small fingers clumsily trying to arch ink into symbols, letters, and characters. However, over time, the presence of tutors and books faded. And with it, the interest in courtly matters.

She wracks her brain for the precise moment her studies dipped, but can't recall it.

_I should have tried to keep up._

But now she's at the hellmouth, quivering in her green dress, slim shoulders shaking, fingers wringing her skirts, and teal eyes frantically tracking the movements of everyone in the ballroom.

"Princess?"

Kai's repeated question snaps her out of her stupor.

Anna blinks, mouth dropping open and flapping like a fish. His frown deepens and he raises his hand, reaching out to her, before stopping midway.

"What's troubling you?" Kai asks and her stomach twists because he's always been the one she's turned to growing up. "Would you like to step away from the celebration? I think the Queen wouldn't mind you taking a few spare minutes to—"

"No!" Anna says, inwardly cringing at the mention of Elsa. She smooths down her dress, cheeks and ears red. "I-it isn't a big deal—" except that it _is_, but she wants to deny how disorienting everything feels because she's waited so long for the gates to open, "—I just wanted to ask you something."

"Of course, Your Highness," Kai says and his frown softens into a gentle, understanding smile.

She can see the age lines on his face and is suddenly reminded of when she barely reached his knee. Now though, she reaches his chest and although he's still taller than her, she's more aware of her station than she ever has been. But she doesn't feel like a courtly lady. She glances over his shoulder and spies the couples dancing again, twirling round and around. She's no lady, definitely not a prince, isn't a Queen, but higher than everyone else here save for said Queen. Except that she's made up of thin shoulders, awkward limbs, graceless bones, foolish thoughts, and a cracked heart.

A whole sum of parts—among others—that create one vastly confused, isolated being.

_Just somebody hopelessly in between._

Anna glances down at her hands, inhaling quietly.

"Do I—" her courage teeters on the edge, though she knows if she doesn't ask now, she'll sit through the entire party smiling awkwardly and stiff, "—look like a princess?"

Her eyes dart up and her tooth digs into her bottom lip.

Kai blinks in surprise, his eyebrows shooting up to his receding hairline. For the first time, he steps back and looks at her. Actually looks at _her._

Anna squirms under his gaze, clicking her shoes together and chewing on the inside of her cheek.

_I'm not as pretty as every other woman here. And I'm __**definitely **__not as elegant. And there are other people who simply know more than me. So I'm just...here._

The soft exhale pulls her from her reverie. A warm smile curls on Kai's lips and he straightens his back, arms folded behind him.

"Yes, you do Your Highness."

She finds it difficult to swallow. Her throat clogs up with a heavy lump and she stares back down at her feet. Her stomach coils and her lip quivers.

_Maybe I can make this work._

Suddenly, her position and her promise do not seem so implausible. A tiny smile wavers on her mouth.

The music hits a high note and everything else is drowned in a crescendo of strings and brass.

"Now excuse me Princess," Kai says when the music dies down a bit, "but I really must get back to my duties."

"Huh?!" Anna snaps her head back up. He turns and gestures to the crowd. She starts and laughs once, moving to fix her hair and stammering, "Oh yes, of course! Go right on ahead Kai and—" she pauses, fixing him a tender, genuine smile, "—thank you. For everything."

He returns it with a small nod, eyes twinkling. Then he steps back into the crowd, chuckling, "And now to announce Her Majesty and yourself."

Anna beams and waves to him, even though his back is turned. "Okay! Right, time to announce—"

Her brain comes to a crashing halt and she tenses up, mouth dropping open.

_Oh no. Oh, no, no, no! Is it really that time?!_

Anna whirls around, trying to pinpoint a clock or something. Anything to tell her the time. The band stops with a final tune and she sees everyone finish dancing with a flourish. The crowd moves as one, turning to stare at the throne and unwittingly her gaze follows them.

Everyone—save her—bows.

"Queen Elsa of Arendelle."

She freezes, a shiver racing up her spine as Elsa appears. Her older sister, the _Queen_, walks with the same pace to the throne as she had down the aisle in the chapel. Anna feels the breath stolen away from her. Her heart pounds in her rib cage and although she knows the music has stopped, she's sure that the tempo of her pulse has reached its climax.

A small smile is curled upon Elsa's lips and her sister looks so different from how she did at the ceremony. Anna can't place why she thinks that, but Elsa appears calmer, if not happier. She dips her head in acknowledgment of the crowd and the gesture is so subtle, so graceful, Anna feels her legs quiver.

_She was born to do this._

Anna sighs softly to herself, admiring the glow on Elsa's figure. The light from the chandelier lights up the crown on her sister's head and she leans against the pillar, resting her head on it. Her eyes are drooping when Kai's voice breaks through the air.

"Princess Anna of Arendelle."

Anna starts, jarred from her trance. Not even giving herself a moment to think, she grabs her skirts and dashes out onto the floor, stopping at the bottom of the steps. Her eyes sweep over the crowd and a half-smile quirks on her lips. Everyone is still bowing and it makes her stomach twists into knots. Before she can stop herself, her hand is in the air and she gives a small wave, laughing nervously. The corner of her mouth strains and she resists the urge to grit her teeth.

_You're doing fine Anna. You've got this._

She sees a woman in the front wave back and her heart skips a beat in relief.

_This isn't going terribly. Maybe I actually am a princ—_

Kai touches her back and she blinks at him in surprise. He gestures to the throne and before she knows it hands are grasping her shoulders. Anna fumbles with her dress as Kai pushes her up the steps. Elsa comes within _breathing _distance of her. Her heart pounds in her chest and she feels her mouth go dry.

"Oh! Uh, here?" She glances at Kai in wide-eyed nervousness, trying to dig her heels into the ground, but he persists. Anna hisses quietly to him as she ascends, the hairs on the back of her neck rising. "I don't think I'm supposed to—"

Her old butler plants her feet right next to Elsa and Anna feels her heart jump right into her throat.

"Oh, okay," she whimpers as he retreats.

He flashes her a pleading look and she wonders if he's planned this all along. She glances to the side, quickly measuring the distance between her and Elsa. They're a foot apart. She makes it two. Her sister's perfume is evident this close. The distant look on her face even more so. The Queen continues staring out at the crowd with that same, placid smile. She doesn't immediately glance to the side when Anna is positioned next to her. She's not sure if that makes her feel better or worse. Still...

...this is the closest she has been to Elsa in _years_, except for—

_"It's not what you think!"_

_"You came to see me while I was sick didn't you?"_

Anna inhales sharply, a splitting pain erupting in her right temple. The world blurs together and tips over. She snaps her gaze to the front, shoulders hunching up slightly and that awkward, crooked smile curling on her lips again. At last, the crowd rises up again and she hears the music slowly beginning to play once more. The softer, gentle lilt is a soothing, welcome sensation to the strange throbbing in her head. Anna's eyes dart side to side, watching everyone trade partners and dance to the cheerful beat.

_Alright. Breathe Anna. Just breathe. It's only for today._

And said day is already half over. She can make it through the night. The coronation ceremony is passed already. She just needs to wait out the party and she'll have kept her promise by the end of today's events. By the time she crawls into bed, the gates will have closed and she—

_And I won't ever be this close to Elsa ever again._

The cracks in her heart deepen.

Anna blinks, the smile dropping from her face. Again, the world blurs, but everything appears watery instead of indistinct. Her shoulders loosen from their stiff position and she stares at the ground, a burning sensation behind her eyes. Her throat clogs up. Her heart sinks down into the pit of her stomach and she clutches the fabric of her dress tightly. She clears her throat, brushing a lock of hair behind her ear and trying to rid herself of the lump blocking her windpipe.

_I'm so stupid. Stay away. I thought I could stay away. But I've been staying away for so long and it's just made me miserable. Elsa has so much on her shoulders and yet I still want to be selfish by wishing things could be different. Stop it Anna. Elsa didn't even look at you. You should know your place. Don't—_

"Hi."

Her throat clears. The world snaps back into focus. The burning behind her eyes disappears and she jumps a bit in surprise. A slight chill—inconspicuous if it weren't for her bare shoulders—runs down her back. Although she knows the music doesn't lessen, it's still as if everything in the world fades away.

Anna startles and turns, placing a hand upon her chest to still her rapidly beating heart. Her cheeks flush when she sees ice-blue staring at her. "H-hi me?"

Elsa nods, and the placid smile on her face looks less cold, more genuine.

She prays it's because of her.

"Oh." Anna glances away, counting _one-two, one-two _quickly in her mind and turns back to Elsa, folding her hands together because if she doesn't she knows they will be gesturing in the air everywhere. "Hi."

It's so short; so less than what she wants to say, so small and too casual for a lady of court, and so unfulfilling because of it. Because Elsa is actually looking at her—_without_ _fear! _She melts inside—and speaking with her, expecting an answer from her. Wanting to have a conversation _with her. _Staring at her with such a tender expression, that she can't help but glance down at the floor, cheeks flushing and brow creasing in sudden worry.

_What changed?_

She's been alone for so long she can't believe this is anything but a dream.

_And I'm sick of just having dreams._

"You look beautiful."

Anna inhales sharply.

_But if this is a dream don't wake me up._

She splutters, turning quickly to blink several times at Elsa. Her sister's eyes look her up and down and Anna suddenly wonders how her dress fits her. Her shoulders are bare and she's acutely aware of each freckle. She wonders if the collar lines well above her chest, if the cut of it fits her waist well, the lining of her shoulder blades and arch of her spine. She hopes the green brings out the hue in her own eyes the way everything accentuates the blue in Elsa's.

_Do I look like a princess to you too Elsa?_

Her stomach twists and she dips her head, leaning forward, trying to push down the racing of her pulse. "You look beautifuller!" Almost immediately she regrets it. Although Elsa's smile stays in place, Anna hurries to fix her error. "I mean, not fuller!" To her growing horror, she starts gesturing. "You don't look fuller!" Elsa leans back slightly, her calm smile curving into a shy grin. "B-but..." Anna falters, words halting in her throat.

She seizes up and can't help but stare.

Elsa watches her, half-turned away from the crowd. Watches _her. _The corner of her mouth is quirked up higher than before and Anna can see the white of her teeth. The dark magenta shade of her lipstick seems to only enhance the amused tilt of her smile. The cold blue of her eyes twinkle.

"M-more beautiful..." Anna breathes and wonders where all her breaths go.

Her sister laughs, once, and the song of the band is drowned out by its superior music.

"Thank you," Elsa says and Anna notices her hands unclasp.

_What is this? What's going on? Why does everything feel __**different? **__It almost seems normal._

She glances down at the ground, more at the hem of her sister's dress to be accurate and ponders the distance between them. It's almost as if that storm hadn't _happened. _Anna bites her lip to keep from whimpering—to refrain from smiling in sheer, unadulterated hope. Perhaps Elsa has forgotten about the incident, what with all the matters she's had to attend to up until the coronation. Maybe she too thinks everything was nothing but a dream.

_Or maybe she's forgiven me. Maybe she might even feel—_

Her heart is a pounding drum.

_No. No, it couldn't possibly be that. It can't. Isn't. Maybe Elsa's just doing this for appearance's sake. This is a formal occasion and she is the Queen now. Maybe this is all just an act. _

A pang hits her square in the chest and she digs her tooth in her bottom lip more fiercely.

_No. No. What am I thinking? Elsa isn't that cruel. Elsa isn't cruel at all. She's probably just being polite. Maybe we'll talk after the party. Maybe things will get better. Maybe they are already! Maybe—_

"So," Elsa says, smoothly breaking her out of her whirlwind of conflicting emotions, "this is what a party looks like."

Anna glances at her from the corner of her eye, positive she'll just keep staring if she tries to speak with her sister directly. She still hasn't forgotten her promise and those nights during that storm in Arendelle still waver delicately in her mind. She tilts her head in Elsa's direction and gets a whiff of her perfume again. It dizzies her, so crisp and sweet underneath the surface.

_What do I say? All I said last time just made everything worse._

She coughs—

_But Elsa came to see me while I was sick. Maybe we'll get through this._

—and stammers quickly, "It's warmer than I thought."

_God, I wasn't made for smart conversation._

Anna curses herself seven times over, wants the ground to swallow her whole, or wishes for her fairy godmother to descend upon the scene so she can transform into _something _that resembles an elegant lady. Of all the things she chooses to speak to her sister about, it has to be the _weather_.

Her mind flashes back to those aching nights in her bed two years ago. Her head throbs for a moment and she swears she even hears the hail beating down upon her window.

_I hate the weather._

A soft chuckle brings her back. She jerks her head to the right to see Elsa nodding, almost to herself, and gazing out at the crowd.

"It is warmer," the Queen says.

And it is. It _is. _The chandelier cast everything in a bright glow despite the darkness outside. Colors swirl all around her and the heat of so many moving bodies creates a haze that she's never felt before. Anna's cheeks flush and she lets herself slip for a moment. She watches Elsa. This close, she can admire the mascara her sister has applied to her eyelashes. They're long and so elegant that Anna is sure Elsa is the most beautiful woman in this room, in the entire kingdom. No one can simply compare. The lavender eyeshadow brings out the blue in her sister's eyes and highlights her alabaster complexion. Her lips are full and so vibrant in color, they remind Anna of the fabled apple in her fairy tales. The tiara pales in comparison to her white-gold hair.

A warmth blooms in her chest. The tiny, flickering flame is a candle that spreads light in her lonely heart.

Elsa glances around, quirking an eyebrow and Anna feels a tremor run down her spine at the genuine amusement and curiousity that flashes across her sister's face.

"And what is that amazing smell?" Elsa asks.

At first Anna thinks her sister has noticed her own perfume, but she closes her eyes and Anna follows suit. They inhale deeply and her stomach flips at the unified, timed reaction.

_It feels as if we're sisters again._

The sweet, rich scent in the air wafts into her nostrils and she sighs, goosebumps rising on her skin when Elsa does the same. Riding on something deeper than instinct, she turns to her older sister and opens her eyes, meeting that beloved shade of blue.

_"Chocolate."_

The laugh Elsa releases is sweeter than everything in the ballroom. She feels it bubble in her own chest and all the tension in her bones loosens. She bites her lip to keep from grinning like a cat. Elsa straightens her back and returns to watching the people dance. Anna taps her knuckles together, heart thrumming in excitement. The beat of the drum makes her blood race and she feels tingly all over.

She wants to say so _much._

So much to the person beside her. The person with a tender and comfortable smile. Who holds her hands in front of her with all the grace she lacks and holds her chin up higher than the throne. Who does not belay even a hint of fear and disgust. Who does not shy away when she leans closer, drawn by the scent of perfume, a powerful aura, and a slight, strange chill that runs over her bare shoulders.

_But where do I even start?_

She decides to leap. Anna inhales, words on her tongue.

"Elsa, I—"

A cough breaks the atmosphere.

"Your Majesty."

Kai stands before them with a short, elderly man. Out of the corner of her eye she sees Elsa perk, focusing her attention on the well-dressed uniform. Anna leans away from her sister, lowering her fists to her sides. She blinks and quickly glances at Kai. He flashes her an apologetic look, but it's gone an instant. At the very least however, it makes the disappointment curling in her stomach more palatable; easier to swallow. She straightens her shoulders, staring at him dead on. Kai smiles sympathetically for a moment before bowing and extending his hand to the short man.

"May I present, the Duke of Weaseltown."

Anna forces down a snort of laughter.

"Weselton!" the Duke hisses, startling Kai. He glares at her butler and Anna grinds her teeth at the ugly look. She feels a slight chill in the air, though it goes unnoticed when the Duke walks forth and turns his attention to her sister. "The Duke of Weselton, Your Majesty." Elsa remains unimpressed, the tender atmosphere given way to her Queenly presence. "As your closest partner in trade," the Duke continues, puffing out his chest, "it seems only fitting that I offer you your first dance as Queen."

The overly extravagant flourish he performs, before finishing in a bow and holding out his hand to her sister, nearly undoes the giggles in Anna's chest. When his hair flops down, revealing itself as a toupee, she can't help but clamp her hands over her mouth to stop the surprised burst of laughter.

The unrestrained snort she hears from Elsa, however, makes her heart skip a beat.

She presses her hands over her chest, mostly to stop the bubbling feeling in her chest, but also to feel the thud and beat underneath her fingers as she blinks at Elsa. A warm glows spreads under her sternum as Elsa rights herself, folding her hands together neatly.

"Thank you," the Queen says, "only I don't dance."

_Would you dance with me? _But Anna shuts the idea down almost as soon as it enters her brain.

The Duke hums in disappointment and she sees Kai's lips quirk up behind him.

Then, Elsa's lips curve into a wider smile and she gestures beside her. "But my sister does."

Anna laughs and waves away the comment. However, her eyes roll to the ceiling, the glow in her chest sparking.

_How does Elsa know I can dance?_

Her train of thought is stopped when the Duke grabs her arm, a pleased expression on his face. "Oh ho! Lucky you dear."

He winks at Elsa and before Anna can truly protest the sudden turn of events, she's dragged onto the dance floor. One final look over her shoulder reveals Elsa waving goodbye to her, eyes crinkled in unadulterated joy, lips curled into a sheepish grin.

It's such a different look than all the ones she's seen. It's almost as if she sees the young girl that used to play dolls with her, reenact scenes from their favorite adventure books, and build a snowman with her whenever she wanted.

She lets the act slide because Anna knows in her heart, she would do anything to see that smile again.

* * *

Elsa drops her hand, mentally sighing in relief at avoiding contact with any possible strangers once again. She folds her hands together again, her discomfort easing somewhat when she feels the silk material over her skin.

_Just a little bit more Elsa. Then this whole business can be put behind you._

She watches Anna as her sister stumbles onto the dance floor with the Duke quickly bringing her within arm's hold. The surrounding couples block most of her sight, but she catches a glimpse of the uncertainty on Anna's face as they begin to move. Elsa bites her lip, quickly glancing to the side where Kai is speaking with a few attendees.

"Kai," she whispers. She resists the urge to wave him over.

Kai stops and glances at her. He quickly excuses himself and is at her side in an instant. She stands with her chin high, but inside her thoughts are squirming.

"What is it Your Majesty?" Kai asks, brow furrowing. His eyes flick up and down. "You seem discontent."

Elsa clears her throat and stares out at the ballroom. She sees Anna's strawberry-blonde hair peek out from the crowd again and balls her hands into fists.

"Does Anna know how to dance?" she mumbles, back stiff. She feels him stare at her, but she keeps her eyes trained for the swish of that green dress.

Kai hums and she feels the ice under her skin buzz.

_Oh no. I hope Anna isn't uncomfortable dancing with the Duke._

The thought of her younger sister, her baby sister, her _beloved,_ being uncomfortable at all unsettles her.

"Yes, Your Majesty." Kai pulls her back and she blinks at him, forehead creasing. "Princess Anna knows how to dance. Admittedly she doesn't do it as often as she used to, but trust me when I say she'll be fine."

His expression leaves little room for doubt, but she can't help but doubt all the same. Elsa stares back at the crowd, nodding in acknowledgement of his words and quietly dismissing him.

She tracks Anna's movements and finally gets a clear look of her face. To Elsa's confusion, her sister is no longer within the Duke's hold. He's bouncing around her, boots stepping on her toes every now and then. Elsa sighs and watches Anna's face, searching for any sign of discomfort.

_Elsa, you fool. What were you thinking? Anna wasn't always comfortable with her body and now you've gone and put her so close to a stranger. You should know better than anyone what having someone close by can do._

She digs her nails into her gloves and feels the tell-tale hum of her magic underneath her skin. She's about to call Anna back, to free her from any possible incidents—he's leaning in close and her blood races when Anna leans back—when the Duke grabs her hand. Her shoulders tense and it takes every fiber in Elsa's being not to step away from the throne and march down there.

Then the Duke dips Anna in a ridiculous bow and she gets a clear view of her sister's surprised face. The wide-eyed, open mouth look is so startling it banishes away all the unease running through her veins.

Elsa laughs, quickly lifting her hand to stifle the giggle. The entire ballroom suddenly feels much warmer. She's impervious to cold, but warmth—different from heat—still affects her so much after all the years.

And the way Anna's eyes narrow when she sees her laughing just makes her laugh harder.

Suddenly, the distance between them does not feel so grand. A chasm does not divide and she doesn't feel weathered by a storm inside her.

Elsa lowers her hand and gives a tiny wave as the Duke rights Anna into a standing pose. Although her sister's attention is drawn back to him, she sees those teals eyes glance back at her when they start to dance again.

There's an unreadable look in them and Elsa feels her heart skip a beat, the shriveled organ pumping blood faster in her veins. Her cheeks redden and she quickly turns her gaze away to scour the rest of the ballroom, staring at the other couples dancing, but not focusing on them at all.

The music continues to play and she watches a multitude of colors swirl around her. Everything stands before her and she watches from a distance. Truthfully, however, she's glad to be the observer.

Elsa's lips curl into a soft smile and she watches that head of strawberry-blonde hair bounce up and down.

_She's grown up. A little taller now. Not as tall as Papa, but she does share his hair color._

Elsa laughs once when the Duke steps on Anna's foot again and her sister winces. Here, without all eyes on her, she takes it all in. The band dances to the beat of the music as much as the people on the floor. She watches the merriment around her. People dance, drink, or linger on the side, mingling with each other.

Her stomach twists.

_I wonder if they would be proud._

Her smile falters.

_I'll never know._

She would just have to believe that they would be. If they could be of her.

Elsa tenses her shoulders and almost sighs when she notices a group of people coming towards her. _Ah, and here they come. _

Visiting dignitaries to congratulate her on her coronation, applaud the efforts of the ball, and subtly—vainly—try and earn her favor in political affairs. The corners of her mouth feel sore by now. Her eyes flick over the shoulder of a tall man just in time to spot a flash of strawberry-blonde hair.

_Do it for her._

Elsa mentally hardens her resolve and turns her attention back on the older gentleman.

"Your Majesty," the blonde man says, dipping into a bow. Those around him mimic his actions and she nods in acknowledgment.

"Good evening, gentlemen. Ladies," she turns to the woman—_his wife_, she guesses—next to him and smiles just a little wider. "How may I entertain you?"

The dignitary rights himself and flashes her a grin. She forces herself to relax, but she can't ignore the shiver that crawls up her spine at being half-surrounded.

"We simply wanted to congratulate you on your coronation Your Majesty," he says and a murmur of agreement rises around him.

And that's how it starts. For the next several minutes, Elsa finds herself swathed in talks about trade routes, ships, goods, architecture, the festivities, and so much more she feels her insides slowly coil tighter and tighter.

Within her mind, she hears the swing of a pendulum. The tick-tock makes her fingers twitch and she repeats her mantra over and over again.

_Conceal. Don't feel. _

The ice that lingers on her fingertips sparks and she feels her attention drift more and more. The warm glow from the chandelier and all the people around seems less vibrant. Elsa feels her heart constrict in her chest. The coronation has gone on for so long and she knows that night is already well underway, but the hours remaining feel like an eternity.

_It's just for today. It's just for today. Control it. It'll be over before you know and by tomorrow—_

—Anna will be out of her sight.

The realization is a harsh, steadfast reminder. A pang strikes her and she swallows thickly. She swears an icicle forms and lodges itself somewhere between her heart and her sternum. The world shifts out of focus for a second and her eyes hone in on only the color of red.

_I'm such a fool._

Her shoulders twitch and the icicle in her heart is an iceberg, chunks cracking and breaking free in a rock fall to crush her insides underneath. Parts among parts chipping slowly to pieces until the only thing left is the icicle through her heart.

The gates will shut tomorrow, ships will sail, and they'll be an ocean apart once again.

_I can't believe I allowed myself to act as if we could be closer once more._

"The Princess certainly seems to be enjoying herself."

It cuts through her thoughts like the light from a lighthouse during a storm. Elsa blinks, snapping her gaze to the people around her. The hairs on the back of her neck rise and she wonders if they had noticed her lack of attention. _Stop it. You can't let anyone know._

What she wants to conceal now, even she isn't sure.

Elsa curls her fingers tighter around each other and lifts her chin, humming. She searches for Anna, dividing the swaying dresses and dark uniforms for that vibrant green. She spots her sister looking at the Duke with a frown, confusion clear on her face. The elderly gentleman struts around her with his large nose sticking out.

One of the dignitaries laughs. "I dare say she's discovered how skilled of a dancer the Duke of Weselton is."

Elsa forces the smile on her face wider and nods politely along with the rest of the crowd's laughter. In her head however, she goes over the minutes, wondering how long Anna and the Duke have danced.

_What is he speaking with her about?_

Disquiet courses through her like the ice in her veins. She bites the inside of her cheek and watches emotions flit across Anna's face. Her sister continues to dance even with the Duke's unusual antics and Elsa wonders if she's accustomed to dancing alone.

It sends another shard through her. _Of course she is._

"If I may, Your Majesty," another dignitary—short with dark hair—says suddenly. "I don't wish to intrude, but I must say, it has been a great joy meeting you and your sister after so many years."

Elsa blinks and feels her skin crawl. She hears the slam of the gates as they're shut for the first time. Her neck muscles tense and she swallows.

The dignitary's brown eyes are earnest and she tries to concentrate on the genuineness of the statement. Elsa inhales quietly and says, "Thank you sir. I'm personally pleased to see you all this day and to see everyone enjoying the festivities in Arendelle. It's a great honor to receive all your generous gifts and congratulations." She ends it with a slight tip of her head and hopes her visitors are swayed enough by her words that they do not ask for her input about possible trade routes again.

They nod and she feels more at ease when they slip into more casual talk. The topics turn away from politics and she receives comments about the food, the fireworks her townspeople are watching, music, questions about her country's history; things she can answer without pinpricks traveling down her spine.

"I must say, neither of you are what I expected," one of the women suddenly says.

Elsa blinks, eyes widening imperceptibly. The question is so sudden and so offhand, she finds herself speechless.

Another woman rolls her eyes slightly and takes a sip from her wine glass. "I think that's the result of not meeting someone before, Lady Charlotte," she mumbles and Elsa wonders at the subtle, sneering undertone.

A few of her guests shift awkwardly and Lady Charlotte frowns at the other woman. Elsa feels the atmosphere thicken and her stomach twists into knots. The magic under her skin suddenly buzzes and she inhales when she realizes the temperature has dropped by the slightest bit.

"I didn't mean it like that," Lady Charlotte says. She fixes Elsa with a smile, but to the Queen it appears strained. "I merely meant to imply that it's truly a gift to see both you and your sister, Your Majesty. You've both grown into lovely, young women."

_Lovely, young women._

Young they are, but Elsa feels nothing lovely about her existence. Her fingers twitch and she opens her mouth to respond when—

"I certainly wasn't expecting Princess Anna to look as she does," one of them comments, staring out at the dance floor.

Everything in her that is cold grows colder.

Elsa stiffens and the polite smile on her faces drops into a firm line. She resists the urge to raise her eyebrow and give the young man—just a little older than her, she notices—an unreadable stare.

_Look like what? _She wants to ask. Her mind flashes back to the nervous fidgeting Anna had done beside her. She had moved quickly to soothe her sister's worries, but inwardly Elsa had tried not to stare.

Anna is _older._ Eighteen years of age and not teetering on the borderline between puberty and adulthood as she had been doing so the past few years.

"Ah," the young man starts and blinks, daring to look sheepish for his tongue. "I apologize Your Majesty. I simply didn't expect her to have your father's coloring." A shadow flashes across Elsa's face and the snowflakes fluttering in her chest grow sharp and hard. "I expected her to look like her mother, as most daughters do."

She feels the air thin, the sense in her mind telling her that her control is slackening.

The young man continues, oblivious to her nerves slowly racing. "I must say though, you look like the spitting image of the late Queen. At least, what I've seen of her in pictures." He chuckles slightly and she notices one of the women shoot him a look. "Granted, your hair is different. It's a lovely shade, I've never seen anything quite like it."

A few behind him shift their feet and she's positive her spine can't straighten anymore than it already has. Discomfort settles over her shoulders, heavier than her cape.

_How lovely would they think I am if they knew? How kindly would they speak of Anna if they knew?_

Acrid bitterness gathers in her throat.

_They wouldn't think of us as lovely, young women at all if they knew about—_

"_Elsa!"_

She sucks in a breath and tries to halt her thoughts.

_No! No, I made a promise that day. I promised to protect Anna. To keep those things away._

And she swears they're gone. It's been so long. So many nights and days of being alone in her study and room, of trying to push aside thoughts—images and fantasies—of Anna away.

The stares of her guests penetrate her.

_No, no. Conceal. _

She _swears _they can see. She wants to turn away. Avoid the—imaginary—judgemental eyes.

_They don't know. They can't__know. There's __**nothing**__ to know._

One of her guests speaks up and she mentally cringes, ice racing through her chest and arms. "Our condolences for your parents, Your Majesty." The woman's eyes lower and she dips her head.

_Of course._

Elsa mentally breathes a sigh of relief. _Don't be a fool. They truly know nothing. _

The young man from before starts and looks around, as if he's suddenly aware of the tense atmosphere. "Oh, I meant no disrespect Your Majesty! I was just saying—"

Elsa cuts him off by clearing her throat. She nods, though her smile is thin and she feels the ice under her hands grow closer to the surface. "Don't be alarmed good Sir. I understand what you mean. Neither of us has—" a shiver crawls up her spine, over her shoulders, and down to her fingertips, "—exactly been diligent with keeping up appearances outside the castle gates."

"_We'll close the gates. Reduce the staff—"_

Her chest tightens. Elsa clings to the silk of her gloves.

"Gentlemen, ladies," the first dignitary hisses. "Please consider the time when you broach such topics." He turns to Elsa and smiles sympathetically. The corners of her mouth are still strained when she returns it. "I apologize Your Majesty. None of us meant to bring up unpleasant memories."

"Apology accepted, Sir."

And like light from the lighthouse breaking through the fog, she sees Anna approach.

The thin air around her dissipates and the tension in her muscles eases. Elsa turns back to her guests and nods to them, smile less forced. "It was a pleasure speaking with you, ladies, gentlemen. But if you'll excuse me, my sister approaches."

To her relief, one of them laughs and glances over his shoulders. "Of course Your Majesty. We understand. We'll leave your presence so you may attend to your sister. It looks as if the Duke wore her down."

They bow and leave. She nearly breathes her relief when Anna climbs up the steps to her side. Her sister pants, sweat collected on her brow. The obvious exhaustion makes Elsa grin.

"Well, he was sprightly," she chuckles, noting the way Anna's shoulders slump.

Anna fixes her sleeve before flashing her a wide smile and the warmth of it makes the ice under her skin melt. If Elsa dares to admit to herself, she thinks the chandelier's light and sweat make Anna's slightly tanned skin glow. The freckles on her shoulders stand out and Elsa feels herself slowly give in more and more to the underlying joy radiating from her sister's presence.

Anna grunts and hops on one foot. "Especially for a man in heels." She huffs and her shoulders rise up and drop again.

She can't help it. Elsa laughs at how utterly spent Anna is, pressing a hand to her chest. The bubbly feeling rises up her chest and her dress feels less suffocating. Something about the way Anna bounces on her feet, grumbling in pain, makes it easy to forget.

"Are you okay?" Elsa asks, eyes twinkling.

Anna shoots her a look and she forgets in that moment how such a question could come across. The slight annoyance from her dance is gone from her sister's face. Her lips curl into a soft grin and Elsa finds herself leaning towards it.

What she would do to keep that smile on Anna's face.

"I've never been better," Anna whispers and all the light, music, and warmth in the room feels cold in comparison to it. "This is so nice." Her sister cups her hands together and Elsa wishes for nothing more than to hold those thin fingers in her own. "I wish it could be like this all the time."

Elsa sighs and forgets herself. "Me too."

Anna's smile widens and she feels a tether stretch between them. A low tremor runs down her spine and her fingers twitch. She wants to brush the back of her hand against Anna's cheek, cool her heated skin with the innate temperature of her body.

So the memory of her dream, of their bodies sliding together, is like a clap of thunder in the still silence.

Elsa draws back, heart skipping a beat. "But it can't." She stares down at the ground, her mind beginning to swirl and flurry. Her eyes flick back and forth.

_What am I doing? What am I thinking? I can't be this close. I can't try and act this close, not after everything. Certainly not now and certainly not ever._

Fingers gently touch her elbow, a heat searing into her skin at the suddenness, a breathless voice asking, "Well why not, I just—"

"_No, don't touch me!"_

"It just can't!" Elsa wrenches her arm, her neatly clasped hands unclenching. She shuts her eyes, closing herself off from her surroundings. She wants to grasp her hair in frustration, but magic threatens to burst from her fingertips. Her dress is tight and thick around her chest. The silk of her gloves is thin and frail. Far too thin and frail. The icicle in her heart sprouts several edges, the sharp points jutting into her still beating organ.

Her vision blurs for a moment.

"_Please."_

She lets out a shuddering breath, trying not to tremble. The missing warmth on her elbow—around her entirety—hurts.

_"I don't want to hurt you."_

The silence that follows hurts more.

She hears a hushed gasp behind her and her resolve wavers. A sniff follows. Elsa keeps her eyes closed, heart pounding in her chest. The cold inside her is a flurry, hail battering at her will.

"Excuse me for a minute."

The quiet, shaking voice drives the spikes deeper.

_No._

Elsa straightens her shoulders and folds her hands together again.

_No, please._

She hears footsteps fade behind her.

_Don't think I don't want you._

And that realization hurts more than anything. Her buried desires resurface. In her mind, she sees Anna's pained, hopeful expression. Her hand reaching out to her, thin frame trembling.

_"It's not what you think!"_

_It's exactly what I had thought. I only wish I didn't feel the same. Then perhaps, everything would be easier._

The flurry inside her whips into a powerful storm and the innate coldness is only offset by the burning sensation behind her eyes. Elsa opens them and everything is blurred by the wetness pricking at the corners. She chances a glance. Anna's back is to her and she retreats into the crowd. Her sister's shoulders are hunched to her ears and she hugs her hands to herself. Elsa can see the rejection without having to see Anna's face.

The light of her presence dims and withdraws.

_No, _she realizes with startling, painful clarity. _Nothing would be easier even if things were different._

The only source of warmth she's ever known, cherished, and wanted disappears into the crowd like a light in a howling snowstorm.

* * *

_You idiot. You fool. You stupid, selfish fool. Did you honestly think everything would get better just by wishing it?_

Anna sniffs and slips past a few people. She isn't sure where she's going, only that she has to go _somewhere. _But her vision is blurry and the music drives a nail into her right temple.

_Oh, Elsa. I wish there was something I could do to let you know I'm sorry._

She keeps her gaze on the ground so when someone bumps into her from the side, she can't stop her world from tipping over. Anna flails her arms, yelping in surprise. The floor comes closer within seconds and she's already flinching in anticipation from the impact.

A hand grabs hers and her world halts.

Anna stares into a pair of soft, green eyes.

"Glad I caught you."

Anna blinks and laughs, "Hans." She ignores the unease coursing through her arm and into her stomach.

Hans grins and helps her onto her feet, quickly discarding his wine glass onto a passing servant. "I was wondering if you wanted to dance," he asks, gesturing to the floor.

Anna gives a weak, half-smile and draws back, releasing his hand. "No. Actually, I'd prefer to get some fresh air."

He nods and the clear understanding in his eyes throws her off. "Alright, then how about I accompany you?"

She blinks again and cups her hands, heart aching with a pang when she recalls how she almost grasped Elsa's elbow. _I was so close..._

"It really is very stiff in here," Hans says, cutting through her thoughts like a knife. She snaps her head up to him and feels heat creep up her neck when he winks. "This suit has been so bothersome to wear. I think some fresh air would do us both some good."

She can't help it. Anna laughs weakly and he perks up. He offers her his arm and she stares down at it, eyebrows rising in surprise. The gesture is so foreign to her, so fanciful, that she's left unsure of what to do.

"You're supposed to grab it," Hans whispers, leaning in conspiratorially.

She starts, linking her arm with his and trying to ignore the warmth in her cheeks.

He smiles down gently at her and she's drawn to it like a moth to a flame.

"I know a great place to get some fresh air," Anna says softly.

Hans nods and holds out his free hand. "Lead the way."

The whites of his teeth flash and her stomach twists. She leads them to the balconies outside and although Hans leans towards her and begins to ask questions, although she feels her despair slowly melt by his attention, although she tilts her head up to him and manages a small smile—

—she can't erase the feeling upon her back.

And although his smile is wide and friendly, she looks down. She can't stare at it without recalling Elsa's.

* * *

"Like this?" Hans asks, shoving the krumkake in his mouth.

"Yeah, the whole thing!" Anna nods, the light from the ballroom washing over her. He eats the chocolate messily and their shared laughter relaxes the tension in her muscles. She sighs, breathless from the easy atmosphere, and grins at Hans. "Wait, so you have how many brothers?"

"_Twelve _older brothers," Hans clarifies and he scoots closer, an annoyed frown replacing his large grin. She blinks and her excitement stills at the proximity. "Three of them pretended I was invisible," he says, eyes narrowed. "Literally. For two years."

_Invisible. _

The word cuts a path to her stomach and she frowns. The ease of their conversation makes her want to reach out and hold his arm, but she feels awkward and still raw from the events before so instead she just leans in and says, "That's horrible."

He chuckles and smiles again at her. "It's what brothers do."

A shiver runs down her spine at how quickly his expression changes. The casual nature of their interaction, coupled with the lingering hurt in her heart, makes it easier to laugh once and say, "And sisters."

She finds herself unraveling before she can realize it.

"Elsa and I were really close when we were little—"

Anna frowns and stares at her hands. The feel of small fingers holding hers, cold in their touch, but so warm in their intent spreads over her.

"—and one day—"

The click of the lock echoes in her ears.

"—she just shut me out and—"

Her sister's face disappears behind a door and she feels another crack edge along her heart like a fissure, icy cliffs breaking apart and widening the gap.

"—I never knew why."

With painful clarity, she realizes the door remains shut. Anna blinks and tears prick the corners of her eyes. And with that realization, Elsa's smile flashes through her mind again.

Her chest tightens and she balls her hand into a fist, shoulders trembling.

_I don't care if these feelings are never returned. I just want us to be close again._

And the twisting, turning, coiling storm of confusion and hurt parts like a veil. Anna blinks and stares at her hand. Her heart skips a beat and its pulse quickens in her chest, thudding in her throat and head. A flush darkens her cheeks and she feels something race in her veins.

_That's it. _

It's as if she's staring at Arendelle after the storm has stopped. Everything is covered in snow, so white and cold to the touch. The ice is clear and she sees through it.

_So that's how I feel._

Anna's lips tremble and the tears threaten to fall.

A gloved hand covers her and for a moment, she think it's Elsa. She leans into the touch because of it.

"I would never shut you out." Hans's voice breaks her from her thoughts and she snaps her gaze up to him.

Her eyes flicker over his face and the sympathy on it makes her swallow. "That's very kind of you," she mutters and her voice cracks.

He smiles and strokes his thumb on her hand. "Well, I know how it feels when people ignore you."

The comment stings and she inwardly cringes. Anna bites her lip and digs her nails into her palm. _And then I ruined everything that winter. Oh, how could I think Elsa would ever forget that._

Her will hardens like steel and she blinks back the tears.

_I have to get rid of these feelings somehow. They're just driving us further apart._

Anna breathes and an idea stirs in her mind. She stares at Hans, shaking within, but steady outside. "Okay, can I just say something crazy?"

Hans perks up. "I love crazy."

_This is the right choice._

"Would you take me back to the Southern Isles?"

* * *

Elsa's eyes flit back and forth over the ballroom, scanning the crowd. She swallows down a lump in her throat.

_No sight of Anna._

The regret is an iron weight on her shoulders and she clenches her hands together so tightly. She resists the urge to wring them together as the celebration continues, but as the minutes pass by, she finds her resolve weakening.

_I can at least apologize for the way I acted._

The Queen sighs and tries to still her racing heart. She spots Kai and makes her decision before she can let her fear overcome her again.

"Kai," she hisses, waving him over.

He's at her side in an instant and his eyes flick to the empty spot beside her.

"Do you know where my sister is?" she asks, all but pleads. Her blue eyes are wide and she knows she's at her wit's end.

"I believe she headed outside with the young prince from the Southern Isles."

Her worry flares briefly to anger for a moment, but she pushes it aside. _As long as she's safe. _"Then if you don't mind," Elsa whispers, gathering up her skirts, "I'm going to go search for her."

Kai starts, eyebrows rising to his hairline. "But Your Majesty—"

"I'll only be gone for a moment," Elsa stresses. "Please take care of things while I'm gone."

Kai opens his mouth, as if he's going to continue protesting, but then something flashes through his eyes. He shuts it and nods firmly. "Of course Your Majesty."

Elsa sighs in relief and begins to slip quietly towards the side exit.

_I'll check the gardens first._

* * *

"It really is a shame you and your sister can't see eye to eye though," Hans says. They walk arm in arm away from the balcony, slowly heading back to the ballroom. "Perhaps you should reconsider having the courtship here instead of my kingdom? Maybe you and your sister could bond over it. I'm sure she'd be happy for our marriage."

Anna shakes her head, tightening her fingers on his sleeve. "No, I'd like to leave as soon as possible." She turns wide eyes on him, gulping. "A-and if we could, marry as soon as possible."

_These feelings aren't right. The faster I'm gone, the quicker I can get over them._

Hans smiles gently and pats her hand. "I'd be honored Anna." He glances back to the front and shrugs lightly. "Still, I think it'd be nice to spend a bit more time with your sister." His voice lowers and she feels a shiver run down her spine at his words. "She's a reasonable woman, elegant and calm. She'd have your best interests in mind." He leans down and his warm breath brushes her ear.

"I'm sure she wishes you two were closer."

The shiver is a jolt.

Anna inhales sharply.

_Closer._

Her stomach tightens. The night wind brushes over her skin. The cool contact sends her mind reeling. Her knees tremble underneath her dress. The air is comforting and soft for some reason.

_Closer._

The wind is replaced by something solid, yet equally soft in her mind.

_Elsa._

A shudder wracks down her body. Anna's jaw tightens.

_No! No, what have you told yourself about going down this route?_

She mentally shakes herself.

_This is for the best._

Hans sighs in her ear, jarring her from her thoughts, and making the hairs on the back of her neck rise.

"It's just disheartening to see how far apart you two are. You're both such lovely, young women." Goosebumps rise on her skin from the comment. She feels something curl low. Hans continues, oblivious to her growing tension. "I must admit, when I first saw you on the docks Anna, I was quite taken."

He laughs and Anna blinks up at him, a small smile on her lips. "Really?"

Hans nods, eyes twinkling. "I've never seen a picture of the Arendelle Royal Family, so imagine my surprise when my horse bumped into you!"

Anna ducks her head, biting her lip. "You're joking. I'm not that pretty." Without thinking, she mutters softly, "Elsa is the real beauty in the family."

Her sister's face flashes through her mind. Anna's stomach flips when she recalls how close they had been earlier in front of the throne. Her nostrils flare. For some reason, the faint scent of mint and winter flowers waft over her despite the summer season. Hans's arm is warm around hers. She wishes it was cooler.

A breeze washes over her. It drapes over her shoulders and she shudders again.

They pause beside the gardens.

* * *

She's searched the whole area by now. Elsa sighs and presses a hand to her forehead. Fatigue washes through her and she stands underneath the large oak tree for a long second. The dark night is lit up by stars, fireworks from the town, and light from the castle, but the royal gardens are shrouded in shadow. It provides temporary relief from her duties. Still, she can hear the music from the celebration and the distant yelling from the townspeople beyond the gates.

_Maybe Anna's already gone back inside. It's been some time._

Pushing aside her underlying exhaustion and worry, Elsa turns around to head back inside—

"Don't be silly Anna."

—and stops in her tracks.

Elsa slips back behind the oak tree, brow furrowing. A voice inside her head screams that she shouldn't be hiding, that she's the Queen of this kingdom and Queens don't hide. However, her instinctual nature to stay hidden from others makes her ignore the imaginary words. Her stomach twists when she sees two people step into the gardens. She vaguely knows the voice that spoke.

"I think you're a beautiful woman."

Slowly, Elsa peers around the trunk, blue eyes narrowing. Through a flash of moonlight, she recognizes the Southern Isles prince. _If he's here then that must mean—_

"Thank you Hans, but I assure you, I'm completely ordinary."

The light laugh makes her pause, but the flash of strawberry-blonde confirms her suspicions. Anna is curled around Hans's arm, but her gaze is to the grass, a distant look on her face. Elsa presses her hands against the bark of the tree, digging her fingers in and leaning closer.

"I'm just me."

The words are faint but she still catches them as they leave her sister's lips. Her heart shrivels a bit more.

_You're anything but ordinary Anna._

The far-off look makes her want to slip away from the tree and gather her younger sister into her arms. The need to see Anna's bright smile from before far too great after Elsa had flinched away from her. She withholds herself only because Hans leans in closer to Anna. Elsa's jaw tightens and something foul slips up her throat at the action. Unknowingly, she steps a bit closer, trying to hear what he's saying.

"Just you? Anna, I think—"

Her heel catches on a stray twig and the snap is like a whip crack in her ears.

Green eyes glance up.

Elsa gasps and ducks behind the tree. Her heart leaps in her chest, the noise of the festivities fading away. Beneath her gloves, her magic buzzes.

She strains her ears for any sign that she's been noticed.

* * *

Anna blinks, frowning at Hans. He's staring into the shadow of the gardens. She tenses her shoulders and gently tugs on his arm. Something doesn't feel right. "Hans, are you alright?"

He starts and turns to her, a grin quickly forming on his face. "Oh, I'm sorry Anna. I thought I heard something." He chuckles and she relaxes, shoulders drooping. "But it sounds like it was just a squirrel or something."

She laughs and it's dry to her ears. "Why were you worried? Afraid someone will discover us?"

His other hand graces her shoulder and she shivers from the heat. It's so unlike what she's expecting. Every time he leans toward her, she expects a strange coolness to trace over her skin. But his glove isn't cold it at all and a stone drops into the pit of her stomach from disappointment.

_I'm still thinking about her. I just keep coming back to Elsa. I plan to marry this man and although things will change, I don't want them to change like that._

She wants to sink into the ground.

"Are you still worried about your sister?"

* * *

_What?_

She's been silent throughout the small exchange, praying she hasn't been heard—and it appears she hasn't—but this information makes something in her recoil.

Elsa grips the tree trunk and peers around it.

She sees Anna's startled face and frowns.

_Worried about me? For what?_

A part of her sings quietly at the idea of Anna being worried about her. _Maybe things aren't hopeless. _Another part feels her magic racing under her skin. Her mouth still tastes foul and she's aware of the temperature dropping a bit when Hans leans in closer to her sister.

Anna flinches. It isn't noticeable at all to anyone but her. Her sister's bodily discomfort has always been obvious to her and to have this prince so close to her…

_He's too close for her liking. _

She knows Anna's desire for attention and care. She knows it by heart after so many years and a part of Elsa still wishes it could be _her_ that gives. But to have someone so close, even if they were charming, must have been disorienting.

Her fingertips spark.

* * *

Anna brushes a lock of hair behind her ear, giggling nervously. She fidgets, tapping her fingers against each other. "I-I'm sorry. This must all seen really weird to you. Me, constantly worrying about someone who ig—"

She pauses, stiffening. The image of Elsa's horrified face from so long ago flashes through her mind like lightning. Guilt slams into her and she bites her lip so hard she almost draws blood.

_I hurt her. That's right, I hurt her. Even before __**that,**__ Elsa still wouldn't speak to me._

The age-old feeling of her fist rapping on wood flows through her. Anna swallows, blinking rapidly. She can't find her voice again. The memory of her sister, small fingers enclosed around her own, their shared laughter and excitement, washes over her.

The night air bites into her skin and for some reason she recalls building a snowman with Elsa.

_But why? _

A splitting pain erupts in her forehead and she winces, fingers shooting up to her right temple.

"Anna? Are you alright? What's wrong?" Hans grasps her shoulders and he pulls her in closer, worry flashing across his face. "You look pale."

She shakes her head, the momentary pain dissipating, but leaving her lightheaded. "I'm fine," Anna says, rubbing her forehead. The night air seems to drop in temperature and she shivers.

"Are you sure?" Hans asks and when he rubs her shoulders, she finds herself leaning into the contact. "Maybe you should sit down." He gestures to the stone bench closest to the garden's oak tree and guides her to it.

When she sits upon the cold stone, Anna sighs in relief. The day's tension flows from her body when Hans continues to stroke her shoulders. An ache blisters in her chest at the feel of his gloves and she stares down at her lap.

"Thank you," Anna whispers, shooting him a grateful smile. _Maybe this whole marriage idea won't be so bad._

He grins, scooting closer. His voice drops into a low, gentle timbre. "Think nothing of it. We could all use someone to be there for us."

Anna nods wordlessly, closing her eyes and letting his administrations wash over. His gloves feel like leather, but for a moment, she imagines silk instead.

Her chest tightens. She grips her dress and plays with the green fabric, biting her lip. She's reminded of the sudden separation from her sister. _And if this all goes well, I might leave Arendelle. _She won't see closed gates anymore and she won't see her sister's face disappearing behind a door. _It's better this way. I don't think Elsa's forgotten about what happened. Especially with how she reacted earlier. This way I won't be a bother to her and I'm sure Arendelle will be happy about their princess marrying a prince._

She fiddles with her fingers when she goes over her title.

_Elsa thinks of me as a princess, right?_

She recalls—faintly and through the haze of falling snow—the memory of her older sister holding her hands in hers and whispering a promise in her ear.

_Elsa, I wish it was you here with me instead of anyone else._

* * *

She curses herself through and through for her predicament. Elsa leans away from the edge of the tree, wringing her hands together. Every muscle in her twitches each step she takes away.

A part of her screams that she has nothing to hide, that she's the Queen and shouldn't be hiding in the shadows. Another, more rational part says that letting Anna and Hans know she was here would only make the situation awkward given the painful, vulnerable undertones to their conversation. She ignores the voice—the one that sounds most like her—that urges her to go to Anna.

She ignores it and inches away from the tree, searching the shadows for a way out.

"Who knows, maybe your sister will have a change of heart when you tell her about our plans for marriage?"

The flow of magic in her veins quickens.

_What? Marriage?_

A chill runs down her spine.

Elsa halts and glances over her shoulder. She's still behind the tree, well within hearing range. She listens to the part that tells her to stay.

"I'm not so sure," Anna mumbles and the comment stings.

Elsa steps closer, taking even greater care not to be heard now.

"Well, like I said she seems like a reasonable woman," Hans points out. "Maybe she'll surprise you. Maybe she wants to be close again and she just has her reasons."

The truth of his words sends another pang through her. She clutches her hands to her chest, wringing them even harder.

"I-I think she does now..." Elsa shudders, fingers twitching because she knows what Anna is referring to. The memory of her sister's heated skin comes brilliantly to light. She pushes the thought away, heart skipping a beat. Anna continues and she hears a slight tremble to her sister's voice. "But even before we didn't talk much. A-after Mama and Papa passed why, we rarely saw each other and I-I just don't know."

_I needed to protect you._

Elsa shuts her eyes, tightening her jaw. She covers her mouth, shoulders hunching up to her ears.

Guilt crawls up her being.

* * *

Anna shakes her head, the pain now completely dissipated. Hans tugs her closer and despite everything in her screaming not to, she leans into him.

The contact—the _human _contact—soothes an empty hole that has been widening in her for years.

She only wishes it was _Elsa _instead.

His hands are warm on her shoulders. She wishes they were cold.

Hans sighs and she shivers when his breath brushes the side of her face. He continues to rub her shoulders and she grips her gown tighter at the unfamiliar warmth.

"It really is a shame," he begins, quiet and slow. "I saw you two speaking to each other earlier and I thought to myself, 'Wow! They get along so well. I've never seen two people more meant to be together than these two sisters.'"

A chill, soft yet quick, sinks down her spine. Anna tenses, inhaling quietly. A light blush creeps onto her cheeks when she remembers Elsa's laughter. Not just her smile—although her heart jumps when she recalls that too—but her _laughter._

It had been the first time she had ever seen her sister look so free and she wants, desperately, to see it again.

"I guess I'm a little jealous," Hans continues, still rubbing her shoulders. "I've never had that with my brothers so witnessing that between you and your sister—" the words strike a chord inside Anna "—made me really think you had a connection."

Anna blinks, eyes flitting to and fro. "A connection?" she whispers, more to herself.

Hans shrugs, stopping his stroking and instead letting his hand lay there. His fingers dig gently into her bare shoulder and she twitches.

"It was the way she looked at you."

Heat shoots down her spine.

* * *

Elsa stiffens, eyes widening. The gasp she lets loose is muffled by her gloves. Something she's grateful for. Her stomach flips and the hairs on the back of her neck rise.

_The way I looked at—he __**knows.**_

Quickly, she shakes her head, trying to rid herself of the thought.

_No, there's no way he can. It's foolish. It's just my mind playing a cruel trick on me. He can't know such a thing after seeing us together just once._

Her mind, however, continues to reel. She can't process why Anna is planning to tell her she wants to marry this man. It's rash, naive. Her younger sister barely knows this prince. She's barely spoken with him, let alone knows what he's really like.

_And why is he going __**along **__with it?_

She feels ill. A part of her, tiny and hurt, wonders if Anna's desires have changed.

"I loved seeing her smile."

It's a whisper in the air, but it strikes loud and clear in her ears.

Elsa blinks, trembling at the honesty and loneliness in Anna's words. She presses her ear against the bark, as if that'll help her hear her sister's voice better.

"I-I was so surprised to see it and yet—"

Anna's voice is breathless and there's something underneath that makes Elsa's heart skip a beat.

"—I could have stared at her forever in that moment. She looked so happy right then. I wanted her to be happy forever."

Elsa closes her eyes and leans against the tree. The words wash over her like warm water. The guilt gaves way to a tenderness that makes her knees weak. She casts aside her questions about the marriage with Hans, the stress of the coronation, the worries about her powers, and simply _listens _to the care in Anna's voice.

"I wanted her to be happy with me. Right there."

Heat, unbridled, makes her tremble.

* * *

Anna shudders, a sudden want settling upon her. She blinks, breath hitching slightly.

"Anna?" Hans asks, frowning. "Are you alright?"

In the dark his white gloves aren't as noticeable and heat sinks low in her stomach when she imagines a shade of teal instead. She swallows, throat bobbing. He's too warm and his body doesn't fit right, next to hers. She pulls herself away, standing from the bench and breathing in the cold air. It's shockingly pleasant on her skin, especially when another wave of heat passes through her.

"I'm fine," she stutters, looking away from him. And before he can probe deeper, she flashes him a half-grin. "I think I just need some time to think about everything Hans. Alone."

Hans blinks and tilts his head. "About how to approach your sister on the marriage?"

She nods rapidly, grateful for the easy answer. "You can go back to the party. I'll join you in a little bit."

The silence that follows makes her muscles tense.

Then she sees the whites of his teeth flash in the dark. "I understand. Take all the time you need. Maybe I should speak with the Queen anyway, as the representative of the Southern Isles." He chuckles while standing up. "Butter her up to me."

Anna laughs nervously and tucks a lock of hair behind her ear. She decides against speaking. The idea of Hans standing next to her sister makes her stomach coil for some reason.

Hans pats her shoulder one last time before heading back inside.

She stands there for several moments before turning around, eyes widening at the feeling that's overcome her all of a sudden. She ignores the bench, heading for the large oak tree she's been under so many times. It's coolest beneath it's branches and she welcomes it.

More and more, she's beginning to prefer the cold to anything else.

_And I know the reason why now._

The realization makes her entire body shiver.

Anna pants as she leans against the tree. She braces a hand against the bark. Her shoulders still shake and she quivers in place. She glances around, eyes roving through the dark. She's alone. She's sure of it and it's the first time she's at peace with it.

Loneliness and wanting to be alone were two different things, after all.

She breathes, staring down at the slight rise in her skirts. She's thankful for the cut of her dress, for how the tailor had fitted the skirts so they wouldn't cling to her below the waist.

Still, even with the fabric as loose as it could be, she sees the small bulge as her skirts drape over her pelvis. Breathing heavily, she leans her forehead against the trunk. Her pulse has been steadily growing, though whether from nerves or arousal now she isn't sure.

Taking a deep breath, she presses her hand just to her lower abdomen. She can feel her pulse quickening at the veins on her wrist, feel it rush along her jugular vein. Despite the chill of the night air, the heat in her belly is only growing stronger.

Anna pants, then glances around again, eyeing the shadows. Distantly, she can hear the music and cheer from the celebration, though it's dimmed by distance and the castle walls. There's no one here in the garden with her. She's certain of this. She hears no footsteps or voices, sees no moving shadows beyond the wavering of branches and leaves.

"Quickly. I- just this once, this quickly," she murmurs, shivers racing down her spine.

With another glance around the garden, and still seeing no one, Anna braces both hands on the tree. She can feel sweat bead on her temples. There's a throbbing rising at her right temple again, her head dizzy and foggy with an odd burning sensation that isn't arousal. She presses her forehead harder against the trunk, shutting her eyes tight and mumbling prayers for forgiveness under her breath.

_I shouldn't be doing this. I shouldn't be doing this. Here, of all places! On this day!_

Curling her right hand into a fist, she drifts her left down her torso. Her hand skims over her chest, pausing briefly to press against her small breasts. She curls her fingers around the left mound, breath deepening. Her chest expands with her inhales, pushing increasingly sensitive flesh into her palm. The heat in her veins intensifies, beginning to pump loudly in her ears.

_Today. Today, things are supposed to change. I can go through with this._

The image of Elsa's face flashes through her mind and her eyes snap open. She shudders, a whimper rising in her throat as she recalls Elsa's words back at the ballroom. They had been so close. So _close_, separated only by a mere two feet. She swears she can still smell the perfume on Elsa's skin. It wafts over her nostrils and she inhales shakily, a breeze brushing gently over her shoulders.

_Oh, Elsa._

Her hand clutches at her breast tightly and she feels the hammering of her heart just beneath. It skips a beat when she recalls the flutter of her sister's eyelashes.

She breathes again and passes her hand over her stomach, feeling herself beginning to stir underneath her dress. Anna digs her fingers into her lower abdomen, just right above the apex of her thighs. She can feel herself throb beneath the layers of her dress, feel herself rising more.

With a small, choked cry, Anna lowers her hand between her legs. The moment her fingers brace against her hardened flesh, she is almost undone.

_Oh, Elsa!_

Shivering against the tree, right hand curled tightly against the bark, Anna presses down hard on her erection. It throbs beneath her finger and her stomach rolls with a wave of nausea and arousal. She's touching herself here in the garden, where she knows someone could pass by, could hear her whimpers.

_And it's to Elsa._

Swallowing thickly, she rubs herself through her dress, wetness gathering at the corners of her eyes._ No matter if it's with another, I still think of you Elsa._ She grits her teeth as the tremor of heat that runs down her spine when her palm rubs against her erection.

Her breath hitches when the heel of her palm rubs against the head of her cock. She's only half-hard, but heat is fast pooling in her lower belly. Shakily, she grips her length through her dress, thumb stroking along the top of her shaft. The fabric of her dress, heavy and smooth, dulls the friction. With a groan, Anna curls her hand around the flank of her cock, squeezing hard.

_What am I doing? Am I really this deprived, to be thinking of doing this here, in the gardens on Elsa's coronation day?_

She can barely hear the sound of the festivities now through the blood pounding in her ears. The merry cheering of the guests stops reaching her ears as she picks up the pace of her stroking. Briefly, she wonders if Hans will come looking for her, wondering what is taking her so long to come back. She should be thrilled at the idea of him coming to fetch her, his face full of worry and care. Hans is charming. Hans is sweet. Hans seems to care for her. Hans likes her.

_But it isn't him I want!_

Tongue thick and dry at the back of her throat, she thrusts her hips into her palm. A low thrum of pleasure sparks in her belly and she almost cries out in frustration. The feeling isn't enough, too small to satisfy her, but just enough to tempt her onward. She can feel her cock throbbing hard under her palm now, swelling and rising higher.

"Elsa," she whimpers as her hand drags up to the head of her cock. She wraps her fingers around it and squeezes hard, bucking into her grasp with a low moan. "Oh, Elsa, I just want- I only want to be allowed to know you, Elsa."

_To know you and to be allowed to care for you._

Chest rising and falling in shallow breaths, she picks up a fervent pace as she strokes herself. Her hand drags along her shaft, squeezing at her base. Her hips roll in small circles every time her hand meets her pelvis. Anna pants, form slumping against the tree as she ruts into her hand.

_Quickly, I-I need to do this quickly._

Try as she might, though pleasure tingles down her back, she finds that her stroking doesn't bring her anywhere close to the edge.

* * *

Elsa is stiff, shocked to the core. Her mouth drops open and she lets out a barely audible squeak. Here? And _now?! _The part of her that continues to rival against these desires screams she should feel disgusted by her sister's actions. A deeper, darker—more honest—part feels relief.

Relief that Anna, on some level, still holds the same feelings towards her as Elsa does in return.

_So does she think this marriage plot will change her?_

Her stomach twists and she lowers her hand to her mouth to still her beating heart. She forgets to dwell on the implications when a guttural, frustrated moan sounds behind her.

Goosebumps, for the first time in a long time, rise along her flesh. She turns her head, just slightly, and glances out of the corner of her eye. The light from the castle and moon illuminate the garden, creating the faint shadow of her sister. Her heart rate quickens when she sees the slight sway of Anna's hips.

Heat flushes into her cheeks and her ears pick up every shuddering gasp and moan. There's an urgency to Anna's movement. Jerky and almost half-hearted, that makes it different from that one time. She presses her thighs together, unsure—_unwilling_ to recognize how she knows.

Her sister's breath hitches and she snaps back her attention to Anna's swaying shadow.

_She's unsatisfied._

And Elsa knows there are a million reasons why. She grinds her teeth together, fighting the—ridiculous, foolish, heart breaking—urge to run around the tree and hold Anna close.

Anna's next words nearly unhinge her.

"I _miss _you."

A shiver runs down her spine at the admission and she feels heat curl in her lower abdomen at the underlying desire in her sister's words. Yet at the same time the aching longing and loneliness above everything drags her heart down.

Elsa wraps her arms around herself, feels the faintest spark of magic in her fingertips, and presses herself against the tree. She wants the ground to swallow her whole.

_I miss you too._

She wants to whisper her heartfelt wish even more.

* * *

She pants, a bead of sweat rolling down her neck. She's close, she thinks. Her strokes are rough and short. The fabric of her underclothes slides over her cock. Pleasure tingles, faintly, every time the night air runs over her shoulders. The summer heat is gone in this moment and she relishes in the brief, icy touches.

The happenings of that winter still linger at the edges of her mind.

Only now she wants to know and hold the woman she saw at the coronation today. Not just the frightened eyes of her sister in the dark, but the woman she had seen smiling tenderly under the chandelier's light.

Anna cries out, pressing her forehead against the tree trunk. Over and over again she replays Elsa's smile in her mind. It causes little shocks to race through her, making her twitch and thrust into her hand despite the unsatisfactory relief.

Instead of pleasure, warm and sweet flowing through her, she only feels an empty coiling in her stomach.

* * *

Elsa stares down at the grass with wide eyes, biting her lip to prevent the whimper rising in her throat. She's desperate for control, trying to prevent ice from erupting beneath her fingertips. It almost feels as if the gloves aren't enough.

The combination of a moan and a sob makes her lean onto the tree for support. Anna pants and it sends heat racing down her spine, but she can hear the dry, soft cries buried underneath her sister's arousal and it makes her throb, clench, and throb.

"_Nh! _Elsa!" Anna whines and her voice cracks. Elsa presses her thighs together and clamps a hand over her mouth to quiet. "I-I wish I didn't feel this way about you." Anna lets out a choked gasp and Elsa hears the rustling of her thrusts and strokes grow more frenzied. "T-then maybe things would have been different."

Elsa can't help but whimper quietly, tears forming in her eyes. She presses her face into the bark, shoulders shaking. _No. Oh, my dear Anna, no they wouldn't have been. Because I still hurt you._

The deep groan she hears makes her twitch and sends fire curling in her lower abdomen. She leans more against the tree and shakily reaches down with her free hand. A gloved fingertip wastes no time pressing against her clothed sex, but the pressure is faint and horribly unsatisfying.

Anna sniffs and she hears a strangled moan. From her spot, she watches the barely visible shadow move back and forth.

"Why did this all happen?"

The icicle in her heart cuts low and deep. A tear slides down Elsa's cheek. She shuts her eyes and trembles violently.

_Oh, Anna. I wish I didn't have these powers. I want to be there for you. I want to hold you, kiss you, love you. Love you like you should be loved. _

"I'm sorry," Anna sobs and Elsa snaps her eyes open to sees her sister's shadow arch. "I'm so sorry about what I did that day. I'm so sorry about these ugly feelings and I'm sorry about whatever it is I did to drive you away in the first place!"

The tears are hot, her arousal is like liquid fire, and yet she's _cold_ despite everything. She slides down the tree, shaking and crying softly.

Anna's voice is hoarse and she hears her sister gasp for breath. "But I can't help it." The desperation is sharper than her ice and deeper than the fjord. Anna's words rush out and they twist, strike, and wrap around Elsa like a hailstorm. "I miss you so much. I don't want to go. I want things to change _here_. I wish you'd let me in!"

_I can't!_

There's a shrill cry and every muscle in her body tenses. She presses her gloved hand harder between her thighs, but the brief wave of pleasure is forgotten when she sees Anna's shadow slump forward.

_That's it, isn't it?_

Her chest is tight, yet it feels hollow. She shivers and strains her ears, waiting.

"Stupid," Anna whispers and her voice is laced with bitterness. "I shouldn't be doing this. I have to s-stop this." Her sister chokes on a sob and it sends a pang through Elsa's chest. She hears a thud against the tree. "I-I couldn't even _finish_." The comment makes her breath catch and she lifts her head slightly, blinking back the wetness in her eyes. Anna pants, breathless and yet there's an undertone of dissatisfaction to her words. "I can't finish. I shouldn't." Elsa hears a sniff and bites her lip so hard she nearly draws blood. When Anna speaks again, her voice is firm, yet quiet and empty. "I made up my mind."

It hits her like a harsh gust of wind.

_She's going to leave. She's going to leave for the Southern Isles and marry a man she doesn't even know. Oh, Anna. Don't you see how wrong this all is?_

She lifts her hands to her chest, suddenly sick of relieving her faint desire.

_But is the other option truly any better?_

Elsa brings her knees up, wincing when the grass rustles underneath. She isn't sure how long she lies there, listening to the rasping, shuddering, and sniffling breaths of her sister.

"It isn't fair." Again, she hears the bitterness laced in Anna's words. "None of the fairy tales mentioned it hurting this much. Is this really what true love feels like?"

Her voice cracks on another sob.

Elsa whimpers and tears spring up to her eyes again. She shuts them tightly, whispering, "Anna, what do you know about true love?"

* * *

Despite it all, she hears the soft, pained whisper.

Anna's spine goes rigid and the sound of the festivities fade away. She lifts her head, face flushed. Her heart is still racing and the throbbing heat of her unsatisfied arousal beats for her attention, but she draws her hand away, gripping the trunk of the large oak tree.

She isn't alone.

At first, thoughts reel through her mind like a thousand snowflakes._ Someone heard me. Heard me doing__** that**__ while talking about Elsa! My sister! This isn't good! Oh no, no! Anna you idiot! Everyone will know now and—what if they hurt Elsa? What if—_

But then she plays the words again in her mind and realizes she _knows_ that voice. It's a forgotten tune from a lost music box; one she waits to hear forever.

_It can't be. Not again. It__** can't**__ be._

Her heart rams into her rib cage and she rises shakily, gulping for air. Slowly, she walks around the tree, eyes darting over the shadows, searching.

There's a flash of gold.

Anna stiffens, every muscle tensing when she hears a soft gasp. Her pulse roars in her ears and she stares down, sweat rolling down her neck.

Elsa stares up at her, blue eyes wide with fright.

A wave of déjà vu washes over her. Anna stumbles a bit, swallowing the lump in her throat. Elsa trembles before her, paler than ever.

"Elsa?" Anna reaches out with shaking fingers, not daring to believe the sight before. "Y-you didn't...How l-long have you been here?"

Her eyes plead with her sister, begging her to say she hasn't heard—_witnessed_—what she did.

Her fingers grace a quivering shoulder.

And Elsa draws back as if she'd been burned.

"Anna, stay away from me," she hisses, scrambling to her feet and clutching her hands to her chest.

A breeze washes over her and she's suddenly aware the air around them is _deathly _cold, but she knows that Elsa isn't shaking because of it. The tension between them is thin and she hears the faint sound of something crackling underfoot.

This is her chance. This is her _only_ chance.

"Elsa, wait!" Anna reaches out and her hand clasps Elsa's glove. It slips like silk and without thinking, she clutches it to her chest. "Please, don't run from me!"

Elsa stops in her track, whirling around. She ignores Anna's pleas and instead reaches for her glove, frantic. "G-Give me my glove back!"

Anna draws back, tears springing to her eyes. "Elsa, please,_ please_. I can't live like this anymore." Her voice cracks and she clings to the glove like a lifeline.

Elsa stares at her, fingers still outstretched. Anna watches something like ice harden in her sister's eyes.

"Then _leave._"

Her heart stops.

Elsa trembles, wrapping her arms around herself. "That's what you want isn't it?"

_What? No!_

There's a ringing in her ears and she watches her sister step further away. The pale moonlight catches the wetness of tears on Elsa's pale face.

_No. No, something's not right here._

The tiny, flickering flame inside her chest alights into anger. Into rage.

"You're not telling me something," Anna hisses, digging her nails into the glove.

Elsa turns away, shoulders hunched up to her ears. Her voice is cold, hollow. "There's nothing more to say."

It erupts under her skin, years and years of pain rapidly building.

"There's plenty to say!" Anna growls. Her voice cracks, pain and fury evident. Her shoulders shake and the tears sting her eyes. "What did I ever do to you?! Why won't you speak to me?!"

"_Enough_, Anna." Elsa tightens her arms farther around her torso and Anna watches her back retreat like always.

The music from the ballroom reaches a crescendo and she feels her rage do the same. She follows her sister, words growing louder and louder as they leave the garden behind.

"Even before everything—before that _night_—you still wouldn't speak to me!"

Elsa flinches and she should feel hurt by the action, but all she sees is red.

"I had my reasons," Elsa says, ducking into the castle.

"What _reasons?_!" Anna spits, rounding a corner and following her sister's long cape. "How could it have been so bad that you shun me Elsa?"

They're passing by doors and servants. They call out to them in surprise, but all she hears is her sister panting. The side entrance to the ballroom comes into sight. Their heels clack against the floor, echoing in her ears and she feels another icy breeze rush over her skin.

"Enough. Enough, Anna. No more," Elsa growls.

Anna scowls and the rage within her is a storm cloud.

"No, why do you shut me out?" she calls out, marching faster.

The ballroom doors open with a thundering slam, but she doesn't realize it; so caught up in her anger and pain.

"Why do you shut the world out?"

Heads turn in their direction, the music dims, and she sees Elsa rush toward the large double doors. Everything in her coils tight, claws digging into her chest when she realizes her sister plans to run forever.

"What are you so _afraid _of?!" Anna screams into the silent ballroom.

"I said _enough!_"

Elsa's scream cuts through everything. She throws her hand out and Anna feels the entire warmth of the ballroom cease.

A great burst of cold wind washes over, freezing her anger and hurt in place. The sharp _hiss_ and crackle of ice splits the air and echoes in her ears. A throbbing pain explodes in her right temple and she stumbles back.

Ice springs forth around Elsa out of nowhere. Sharp spikes of it end just a foot away from Anna, their ends rising dangerously close to her chest.

She hears the hushed, confused whispers all around her. Her heart beats underneath her sternum, gaining in speed when she feels the barest hint of frost on her skin. The crowd around her steps back and she feels their stares upon the scene. A chill runs down her spine and that's when it strikes her.

Her eyes dart back and forth, tracing the patterns of ice beneath her feet. She lifts her gaze, dread overtaking everything else in her heart.

Elsa leans against the door for support and her gloveless hand curls against her chest protectively. Her eyes are wide and she watches everyone before her, waiting, cowering.

Anna drops her arms to the side, understanding dawning on her features. The pain splitting her skull apart pales in comparison to the one spreading throughout her chest. The frosty air stings her skin and she's suddenly aware of how cold the glove in her hand is.

_This is it. This is the reason._

"Elsa," Anna whispers.

Elsa's hand fumbles for the doorknob and in that moment she doesn't look at all like the Queen Anna had seen her as. The fear in her eyes is palpable, cutting through the air more sharply than the icicles surrounding her. The image of Elsa, flinching away from her, pressing her back into the wardrobe closet—

"_Don't! Don't come any closer!" _

—strikes her in the heart like a shard of ice and makes her wonder if the storm had ever left.

Here now, with wide blue eyes, her sister looks nothing like a Queen. Only a frightened girl.

The sound of the door swinging open rings in her ears as Elsa runs.

Her sister turns away, disappearing down the hallway and out into the night. Anna feels someone brush past her and blinks dazedly when she sees it's the Duke. He points to the icicles blocking the exit and starts screaming, but she can't hear a word he's saying. His men hurry to his side and she watches several others, including Hans, join them, trying to break apart the ice. People are whispering, talking, muttering all around her, but it's like she's trying to hear someone crying out in a storm. Their voices penetrate her through a fog, trailing off at the edges. There's an inexplicable ringing in her ears, a throbbing in her skull. Everyone around her moves, but she continues to stare at the vacant spot Elsa had occupied.

Her mind is a whirlwind, memories flickering and flashing before her, thoughts racing; trying to locate the one point in time that would explain all that had happened.

She recalls nothing.

It's a giant blank. What she thought were confused, mal connected pieces of a puzzle now seem like mere fragments. But the look in her sister's eyes. The obvious fear there.

_And it's because of me. It's my fault._

The tiny candle flame in her heart bursts into an inferno.

Anna grabs her skirts and pushes her way through.

"Princess!" Kai calls out as she shoves away one of the Duke's men to leap over the shattered ice.

"Anna, wait!" Hans exclaims as she runs down the hallway towards the castle grounds.

She ignores him. She ignores everyone she passes by. She ignores the stares, the confusion, the shouts of surprise. She ignores the voice screaming in her mind that she shouldn't be chasing down the person she's chasing. She ignores the whisper, the growl that she shouldn't allow herself to hope for that underlying desire in her heart of hearts.

She chases after Elsa.

Anna skids to a halt outside the double doors, her hands still wrapped tightly around Elsa's glove. She searches the crowd, eyes frantic, and spots that royal purple cape hurrying into the shadows, heading towards the outskirts.

Her heart threatens to freeze.

"Elsa!" Anna screams and runs after her sister.

She shoves past everyone, eyes tracking white-gold hair. Every corner, every turn, she sees a flash of wide, blue eyes. It only spurs her on.

"Wait, please!" Anna skids to a stop. Her heart jumps in her throat at the sight of Elsa at the edge of the fjord. Her mind whirls when she gazes at the expanse of water. _No, no! Don't go like them!_

Elsa whirls around to face her and Anna sees the ice curling around her body. It spreads along the rocky shore in seconds. She can hear the roaring of her heartbeat in her ears. Her lungs fight for air.

Elsa backtracks and each step is followed by more and more tendrils of ice. Anna's heart threatens to burst when she sees her sister glance down and gasp, horrified by her own powers.

"Elsa, stop!" Anna pleads, rushing down the steps.

Everything seems to slow.

She watches her sister step onto the fjord. The ringing in her ears is a howling wind. The throbbing at her right temple is a searing pain. Ice forms beneath Elsa like light. Anna can't run fast enough.

Elsa turns to her and her lips quiver. She mouths something under her breath.

"_Stay away from me."_

She turns to the water.

Anna's heart stops.

_Don't go like them!_

She runs across the fjord.

"Elsa, wait!" Anna screams, cries, begs, and falls. The ground comes crashing into her. Pain flares in her hands and knees. She lifts her face, tears in her eyes as Elsa runs farther and farther away.

The only source of warmth she's ever known, cherished, and wanted disappears across the fjord.

Above her, the dark cloud of a storm begins to brew.


	5. The Eye Part I

**A/N:** A note to our readers before we can continue. Chapter five was originally much, _much _longer. However, because of mass editing and constant delays, we have to decided to _split _the chapter in half. What this means is that this chapter is the first **part **of the original chapter 5. The second part of chapter 5 will be uploaded shortly after this one. The whole of the chapter was actually almost done, but it was turning into such an incredible length for us, that we didn't feel like editing it in one setting. (The thing broke 25k before we had even finished writing it!) So, we decided to dish out the first half to give all our readers something to actually, well, _read. _Make no mistake, the second part is mostly finished, it just needs to be edited and streamlined. It will be posted within the next couple of days.

We hope this chapter doesn't disappoint you all. There is still smut in this, just probably not what you were all expecting. Enjoy.

* * *

The cry of the townspeople and the scrambling of the festivities is an odd juxtaposition against the utter silence on the fjord's edge. She shifts and hears the crackle of ice under her knees, but it's faint and sounds as if she's hearing everything through a thick fog. She's faintly aware that the summer night air has drastically deceased in temperature, but she can't bring herself to move from her spot. She keeps staring across the water, following the trail of snowflake-patterned footsteps with her eyes, practically willing—_begging_—for Elsa to return.

It isn't until she feels the cold touch of snowflakes upon her shoulders that Anna realizes her sister isn't coming back.

She pushes herself to her feet, knees shaking. The wind bites into her bare skin and her palms sting. Anna inhales sharply and blinks rapidly, tears pricking at the edges of her eyes. The world comes back slowly into focus. She hears the lull of people speaking, a few voices rising in terror, and footsteps hurrying behind her.

Anna turns around to see Hans and Kai rushing to her.

"Anna!" Hans skids to a stop in front of her, grasping her shoulders and pulling her close. She doesn't resist, still in shock from what's occurred. "It's snowing," Hans says, breathless. "It's snowing in town. In the middle of summer!"

"Your Highness." Kai grips her elbow gently, brow furrowed. "This weather isn't normal."

Anna shivers, turning around to gaze back at the fjord. "Elsa," she whispers.

The wind howls in her ears along with the still pounding beat of her heart. She notices it now. The temperature is _decreasing_; slowly, but surely. A million thoughts race through her mind.

_Magic. It was magic all along. That's why she hid. All these years she locked herself up in her room because she was afraid. Did Mama and Papa know? They __**had **__to have known. Why didn't they tell me though? Why did Elsa have to hide herself away all alone for so many years? Why couldn't we see each other? I could have helped her somehow. I don't know anything about magic, but I could have __**helped. **__She wouldn't have had to be alone all these years. Neither of us would have had to been alone. Why didn't anyone tell me?_

A shudders runs through her, deep into her bones and she nearly falls to her knees again.

_Elsa, where did you go?_

"Anna!" Hans cries, holding her up. His eyes flicker across her face. "Are you alright? You're pale."

She nods, leaning into his support. She's out of breath from chasing her sister and the chill in the air is sinking under her skin, depriving her of any energy and warmth. Kai huddles closer to her, removing his jacket and draping it over her shoulders. She turns to him, wide teal eyes searching his face. He stares back at her sadly, the lack of surprise evident.

Another shudder runs through her veins.

_Was I the only one that didn't know?_

"The fjord."

Hans's voice breaks her from her trance at last. Anna looks over her shoulder and her heart drops to the ground.

The fjord is freezing over. Ice slowly spreads from the residual footprints. It advances from the small marks, creeping slowly across the still waters. There's a crackling sound and a deathly chill travels down Anna's spine as she watches the ice beginning to unfurl towards the shore.

_What will we do if the entire fjord freezes over?_

And like that, her mind clicks back into place.

Anna grabs her skirts and whirls around, hurrying back towards the castle.

"Your Highness!" Kai calls out in surprise, hot on her heels.

"Wait!" Hans rushes faster to her side than Kai, trying to keep up with her pace. "Anna, did you know?" She glances sideways at him, blinking in confusion. "About the Queen's powers? Did you know she was a sorceress?"

"No," Anna breathes out. She looks over her shoulder just in time to see something like regret flash over Kai's face. She wants to ask him so many things—_did __**you **__know? Was I the only one kept in the dark? Was Elsa born or cursed with these powers? Why didn't Mama and Papa tell me? Why?_

But there is no time for that now. Snow falls down upon the ground before and she can see it beginning to gather into piles. The wind howls more loudly and she bursts back onto the castle grounds. Everyone is in disarray. Children huddle closer to their mothers or fathers, rubbing their arms desperately for warmth. The Royal Guards are rushing back and forth, trying to attend to the townsfolk or the ice that's left on the castle floors. She spies the Duke speaking with his men and the other foreign dignitaries.

_In a moment, _Anna promises herself. For now, she has more pressing matters to deal with. The grounds are freezing. She can hear the especially young children crying in fear and confusion. It makes her chest ache.

"I want everyone to return to their homes and keep themselves warm! Those that can't return should head into the castle! The guards and servants should attend to everyone's needs. Get the fires roaring in every room!" Anna shouts, stopping in the middle of the crowd. A dozen and more heads turn to her and her stomach flips and twists at the amount of eyes on her. A fleeing moment of unease and disorientation settles over her. Nausea crawls up her throat and every nerve in her body screams at her to cover herself. She feels small under everyone's gazes, no longer invisible.

_But I'm their __**princess. **__Right?_

"And what of the Queen?!"

Everyone looks away and the sick feeling in her stomach dissipates. The Duke pushes his way through the crowd, a deep frown set on his face. He's glaring darkly at her, aging wrinkles creased in his fury.

"You all saw what she did! She casted _magic_!" He spits as if the word is foul on his tongue. Anna blinks, confused. "_Sorcery_," he hisses. "The Queen has cursed this land! She must be stopped."

"And how do you intend to do that?"

Anna whips around to see Hans by her side. He's glaring openly at the Duke and she feels a flood of relief at the sight. It gives her confidence; to know she isn't alone in this.

The Duke takes a step back, sneering at Hans. "Well, obviously we must send someone after her." He turns to his large, brooding guards. "You must go after that monster and—"

Something in his tone strikes fear in Anna's heart.

"Wait, no!" Again, everyone's eyes turn on her and she falters. "M-my sister's not a monster!" A pang nearly renders her heart in two at the phrase. _Elsa? A monster? Didn't they see how scared she was?_

"She nearly killed me!" He splutters, face turning red. "U-us! She nearly killed us!" He gestures to them all and she grits her teeth. "She nearly impaled us in the ballroom! Nearly impaled _you!_ How is that not the act of a monster?" the Duke snarls.

Her resolve hardens. Anna clenches her fist tightly. Hans opens his mouth, but she's already speaking before the words can leave his lips.

"It was an accident," Anna says, pleads. Something flickers in her mind, blurring in and out of focus. Pain throbs in her right temple, but she pushes it away. "She was _scared_," Elsa's wide blue eyes flash through her mind again and Anna straightens like steel. "She didn't mean it. She didn't mean for any of this to happen."

_And it wouldn't have happened if it weren't for—_

Anna shuts her eyes, a tidal wave of disgust and self-loathing washing over her; for her anger, her hurt, her feelings, everything. She opens her eyes and glares at the Duke, the scrawny man watching her with a strange look on his face. He recoils when she squares her shoulders.

"I pushed her," Anna says firmly. "Tonight was my fault. So I'm the one that has to go after her."

There's a collective gasp and goosebumps rise on her skin when she realizes everyone has been watching her. Hans snaps his gaze toward her, green eyes widening in worry. She meets it with a solemn nod, mouth set thinly. Out of the corner of her eye, she sees pain flash across Kai's face. It only strengths her resolve.

"Bring me my horse!" Anna orders, whirling around to face him.

He stares at her for a moment before she lifts her chin, as if daring him to defy her. She's never felt such a surging need to reinstate her position as princess as she does now. Kai nods, breaking eye contact, and turning towards the stables. A hand grips her elbow and she starts, staring up at Hans's face.

"Anna, no!" He looks afraid and her heart goes out to him. He grasps her shoulders and she finds herself leaning into his care. "You can't go out there alone. It's too dangerous!"

_It._

Anna stiffens and gently pushes aside his hand. A part of her can't stand to be touched right now. Not when everyone keeps speaking like this.

"Elsa's not dangerous," Anna stresses.

"Your Highness," Kai calls out and she turns to see him leading her horse, along with a cloak in his arms.

Gratitude floods her. Anna gathers her skirts and hurries to him. Hans runs besides her, brow still creased.

"I'm coming with you then!" Hans says and she stops.

"No Hans." Anna squares her shoulders again. "I need you _here_, to take care of Arendelle for me." She leans in and grasps his hand, squeezing gently. His expression softens and he returns the action. Warmth blooms in her chest. "I need an ally in this Hans," Anna whispers. Her eyes flick to the side and she spies the Duke watching them. She glances back at him and pleads with her eyes. "You're the only one I _trust _to do this. Please."

Hans inhales deeply and she watches a conflicted set of emotions cross his face. "Are you sure about this?" he asks softly.

Anna nods and lets go of his hand. She turns back to Kai and pulls off his jacket from her shoulders. Her hands brush his as she returns it and a look of genuine pain crosses her old servant's face. She blinks up at him and fixes him with a determined expression, mouth thin and jaw set. He stares at her for a long moment before he nods slightly and she smiles at his acceptance.

_Thank you._

The words are passed between them silently and his lips curl into a tiny smile. It strengthens her resolve.

Kai places the clock on her shoulders and she grabs her horse's reins, sliding into the saddle with ease. She glances down at Hans and notices he still looks unsure. The Southern Isles prince stares up at her, green eyes glimmering in obvious worry.

"I don't want you getting hurt," he says and the care in his voice startles her again.

Anna blinks and tilts her head to the side. A tender smile curls on her lips at the concern on his voice. She's read so many stories about this moment. The gallant prince worried about the distressed princess. Standing by her side and defending her when danger arose. She once thought she would grow up in one role and yet now, she finds herself in another.

Anna lifts the reigns, settling more strongly into the saddle. Her life has been full of uncertainty up until this point. It _is_ dangerous. She could be hurt. She could die. From the cold or from something else. But she has never felt more sure of something than she does in this moment.

"She's my _sister,_" Anna says and she allows every ounce of love for Elsa to bleed in her words. "She would never hurt me."

* * *

The forest is a blur, snowflakes scattering and spiraling rapidly around her as she weaves through the trees. She doesn't dare look back, not for a second time. Adrenaline courses through her veins, driving her onward and making up for her lack of endurance. Her lungs burn for air and she nearly loses footing several times as she heaves herself up the mountain range. The wind flies at her bare skin and eyes, but it's bite barely stings and it only serves to drive her further into a panic.

She runs until she can run no longer.

Elsa stops at last, bracing her hands on her knees. She breathes in oxygen deeply, gasping more like. A light sheen of sweat coats her forehead and she raises a shaking hand to wipe away a droplet. Her blue eyes widen when she brings her fingers down. It's only a light sweat, but it's more than she has ever done before.

_It's over. _

Elsa shudders and wraps her arms around her torso. She isn't cold—can't be cold—but she isn't warm either. The young Queen looks around, wondering where her feet have led her. She's high up and very far, that is certain. A glance behind her confirms she can't even see the fjord anymore, let alone Arendelle.

_Arendelle._

Her home is far behind her now.

"And all the better for it," Elsa whispers to herself. She clutches her hands tightly to herself protectively, biting her lower lip. Her chest aches terribly and the tiny flurry of snowflakes around her still. "Now I can't hurt anyone anymore."

_Or so you think. What of Anna? You left her behind, all on her lonesome again._

Elsa winces at her own voice and turns around, unable to look behind her any longer. "It's better this way," she says and tries to ignore the crack in her voice. "Anna has no magic. They'll see she can't hurt them and they won't hurt her in return."

_It's __**better **__this way. There is nothing to tie Anna down anymore. She doesn't have to stay locked up in the castle anymore, for no reason she recalls. She'll make a fine Queen, I'm sure._

Elsa takes a few steps forward, trying to steady her breathing.

_And now that I'm far away from Arendelle, she won't have need to deal with these ugly, disgusting feelings anymore._

She pauses at the crest, eyes widening. A shiver runs down her spine and her muscles slacken. Her arms drop to the side and she tilts her head back, staring at the dark, starry-lit sky.

_And neither will I._

The realization causes the flurry around her to disappear. The tiny crystals drop to the ground and she watches their slow descent. Elsa exhales and an immeasurable weight lies heavily on her shoulders. She swallows thickly and gazes back up at the sky again, tears pricking the corners of her eyes. Around her, the snow glows white on the mountain top. The clusters of tiny stars only make her feel more alone. There isn't a single footprint in sight, even her own.

All that she has had to conceal for so long had been laid bare the entire kingdom and herself. Her powers revealed to Anna and her subject, and her desires exposed to herself.

Her hands ball into fists and the nails of her fingers dig into her bare, left palm. Suddenly, the reality of all the events washes over her.

_Mama, Papa. Forgive me. I couldn't keep it in._

"I tried," Elsa whispers. She curls her arms around herself, staring down at the snow. "Heaven _knows _I tried." She wants to cry, but finds her eyes have long since dried from the wind. Loneliness seeps through her bones, sinking until her stomach and the bitter taste of failure is familiar on her tongue.

_Mama, Papa. I'm sorry I couldn't be the girl you taught me to be._

Elsa sighs, staring despondently at the snow before her. She steps forward, the ground crunching underfoot. "I tried to hide it, but everyone saw anyway," she mutters.

_**Anna **__saw._

All her promises to keep her powers hidden from her sister—gone within an instance.

Elsa bites her lip, fingers flexing. "Conceal, don't feel," she whispers to herself.

The wind howls above her and she winces. Elsa raises her head and looks skyward, stomach twisting. The North Mountain towers above everything, isolating her from all she knows.

"What will that do for me now?" she asks, cries into the wind. "What good is concealing if they all know now?!"

Nothing answers her. The wind continues to howl and the night goes on. There is n on to answer her questions. Not her parents and certainly not Anna.

There is _no one _to hide from.

A shudder runs through her. Elsa blinks, eyes widening. She stares into the dark sky, feeling the ache in her shriveled heart pulse away. The night is quiet now and a strange, unfamiliar lulls settles over her.

_No one._

And then it hits her. Truly and completely hits her.

She is _free. _Free to do as she wishes.

Her breath hitches as she feels the magic begin to thrum beneath her skin, running through her veins like quicksilver. She stands at the precipice. There is _no one_ to judge her for this. To cry_ monster, danger, __**sorcery.**_

Her breath rises without fog, taking in the coldness of everything. She can feel the magic coalescing beneath her sternum, curling around her heart.

The organ beats steady like a drum.

_I'm alone._

Elsa's blue eyes widen, pulse quickening.

_I'm… I'm free?_

She shakes with fervor at the very thought, clutching tightly at her glove. It feels thin beneath her fingers, but not fragile for the first time. She grips the edge of it. Turning on her heel to gaze upward, she lets it slip through her fingers.

Her last shackle flutters away, far away into the sky.

Looking back, with a song of freedom on the tip of her tongue, she lets _everything _go.

And, palms and fingers splayed, open and naked for the first time in forever, she creates.

The first of it all comes from a snowflake.

She thinks of it in six points. Her palm stretching out, she feels it come from the center of her hand and outward it spreads. The heart of it is in six petals, the silveriest of blues blossoming from the center before the spaces in between are covered in a shade of cyan.

White lines, spreading out from the center, shoot up in six different directions. North, south, east, west, and all three points in between. From those lines she can see the minute details of her insignia, the cyan spires feathering out into shades of pale magenta. From those spires come the darker diamond points of her emblem, glittering sharp and strong and proud, in all directions.

This, she sends out into the sky.

It is only the first of many.

With a small pirouette, she opens her palm and watches her insignia blossom from it. The hum and sweet chime she hears from it echoes the vibrations in her chest, in her veins.

_This is it!_

With the magic reverberating in her chest, growing stronger and stronger until it almost overwhelms her, she throws her arms to the sides, snow fluttering out in glittering droplets, hearing bits of hail fall behind her. A small noise of wonder escapes her and she turns to the other side, throwing out her arms and watching snow glitter into life, swirling and whirling before it falls like dust.

She turns there, here, shooting bursts of magic from her fingertips. At one point, she flexes her wrists, laughing as she builds a tiny, irregular mound of snow before turning away from it.

_This is it! This is all of it!_

Her hands rise up to clutch the brooch upon her collar and it is so like her mother's, she almost feels a pang of remorse when her fingertips grace the coolness of the stone.

_Almost._

When her fingers unclasp the cape from her bodice, when the heaviness of the cloth—the weight upon her shoulders—flutters away into the wind, the guilt and sorrow dissipate and she feels only a grand relief.

A grand relief that, like a rippling pool, begins to swell within her.

_No more. No more._

No more hiding, no more gloves, no more shadows, no more four-painted walls. No more dreams that will only ever be dreams to her. No more of her parents' ghosts in the mirror. No more judgement, no more secrets.

No more of her past life at all.

In this instant, she is reborn—new and open and free.

_Free._

The word sends a strange thrill through her, almost like lightning that has touched the surface of her skin, tingling along the surface and alighting nerves just underneath. The organ beneath her sternum begins to beat a steady pace, slowly going faster and faster until it starts to roar in her ears. Demurely, she starts to skirt along the mountainside, feet falling softly upon the snow.

_Free. I'm...free?_

With a shiver racing up her spine, she runs faster, kicking up small bursts of snow as her feet spring across the ground. The feeling bubbling in her chest and stomach is light and airy, and it's all she can do to just run across the snowy drifts piled atop the mountainside.

_I'm free. I'm free!_

It's the first time she has ever _felt _this. The first time that she has ever felt—ever _allowed_ herself to feel—that her feet can dance, that she can glide over snow and ice, under night and sky and stars.

_This is it?_

She bounds along over the snow towards the cliff's edge, stopping for only a mere second to throw her arms out, an icy staircase singing itself into existence. With effervescence singing in her chest, she takes a step onto her staircase and watches color and light spring forth underneath her footstep.

_This is it. This is it, you can't hold me back anymore!_

With childlike wonder and glee on her face, she races up the staircase to the opposite cliff, arms thrown up and twirling on her feet by the edge.

The magic hums in delight beneath her skin as she looks around at the snow, almost trembling from its force.

_You can't hold me back anymore. No one can._

To whom she speaks she doesn't know. To herself or to the ghosts of her past, she doesn't care. As she lifts a single foot, slamming it down onto the snow and watching her soul form ice all around, her insignia bursting to life beneath her, she knows only one thing.

She _is _free.

Her arms rise up, the magic in her veins thundering and roaring and pulsing with strength. As she twirls on her feet, hips swaying and dress flowing, she can feel its invigorating thrum in her blood, intoxicating her the soles of her feet to the crown of her head. She sees light and color reflecting off the glimmering surface of ice she has created, intricate patterns growing and glowing just beneath the first layer as she twirls. She steps lightly, to and fro, but as the walls in her mind's eye take shape and form all around her, she thrust her arms low to the ground, feeling a surge of power through her veins.

The walls rise higher and higher, along with her joyous cries as she spins round and around in her fortress of ice. Higher, higher! From small spires of ice to grand, impenetrable walls, her domain continues to grow. With the vibrant hum of magic racing through her veins, pumping along with her heart's blood, she feels exhilarated, rejuvenated, revitalized—reborn!

_This is it! This is what has been missing!_

All those years of isolation, of concealment, of secrets and lies and desolate dreams—the weight of it all leaves her in a hush.

Chest heaving, she sings her last note, raising her arms as the magic envelops all of her. The last concealment, the dress made for her, for the Queen of Arendelle, melts away for a glittering silk and gossamer of ice and crystal.

Letting the power of her magic rush over her like water, she strides towards the edge of the balcony, throws out her arms and lets out a soulful cry to the heavens.

_This is me. This is who I am._

It's the first time she has ever felt proud of herself.

* * *

And when everything is finished, she stands at the top of it all.

The light of the rising sun refracts off the ice and turns the cold, solid material into an array of moving, spark inking colors. Hues of pink, blue, purple, and even gold at one point, shimmer all around her. Elsa pants and slowly lowers her arms to her side. Her nerves still race under her skin and her lungs fight for oxygen. High up on the North Mountain, there is less of it, but it's not the reason she's breathless.

Something in her screams to continue. The magic underneath her skin is barely satiated. _She _is barely satiated.

Elsa turns around, walking away from the closed door of the balcony. _What to do now? I've made sure no one can get up here and even if they did, they'd never get past those wall defenses. I'm alone. Completely __**alone.**_

She would have thought such a thought would have only made her more miserable. But instead, she tingles all over. Delightful little shivers run down her spine and her fingertips buzz eagerly with magic. Elsa smiles, rubbing her palms together. She's positively giddy. Her heart is beating a mile a minute and she's never felt so energized before in her life.

Elsa pauses, biting her lip and glancing around. The patterns in her castle, ingrained deep into the floors and walls, are , elegant, and beautiful. The ice shimmers and the colors continue to swirl and flicker. The fractals lead all the way up to the chandelier and she tilts her head back up to stare at it. The entire place is a vision brought to life, every detail just as she had imagined it in her mind.

But everything still looks empty somehow.

Elsa frowns, humming softly as she walks to the far end of the room, opposite the balcony. She places a hand upon the wall and follows the trails underneath with her palm. The ice is smooth and solid; cold, she supposes, though she can't feel it. Her index finger curves around a sharp angle, tracing the corner. Everything is perfect, geometric.

Elsa pulls her hand away and once more gazes at the chandelier above her head. Her frown deepens and she bites her lip softly. The object is a thing of beauty, towering over her, it's edges jutting out, smooth and sharp.

An idea begins to stir and shape in the back of her mind.

_If I can create this, what's to say I can't create something else?_

Elsa drops her hand, turning around and walking away. She stops in the center, lips pursing together. A buzzing sensation is traveling down her arms, straight from her core, somewhere between her stomach and chest. The hair on the back of her neck rises and the air seems to thicken—crackle. Elsa exhales and the tingling sensation running from her abodemn down to her fingertips intensifies. Her lips quirk up into the tiniest smile.

In the back of her mind, she realizes that building her castle from thought alone was just the beginning.

Her smile grows. Elsa lifts her hands, palms up. She bites the inside of her cheek, brow furrowing slightly.

_What first?_

She starts small, pointing with one finger at the wall in front of her. She rotates her wrist, a jet of ice shooting from her fingertip and swirling on the ground, at the bottom of the wall.

_The Palace is empty. This will be my bedroom from now on._

Her tongue pokes out just the barest bit from her mouth as she concentrates. The tiny bit of magic circles up before a nightstand stands in the corner. Her new creation consists with four, rectangular legs and a small drawer. It's blue, like everything else in her castle, but unlike the walls and floors that shimmer with pink and purple hues at times, the color remains consistent. It's simple.

_I can go farther._

Elsa grins, fingers twitching. She points at the spot right next to the stand and concentrates.

_More, this time._

As if heeding her call, a surge of power runs up her torso. It bursts from her fingertip, larger than the previous spray she had summoned. This time, there's a faint mist that rises with the swirl of blue snowflakes and light. She inhales softly, exhaling as the swirl rises up. Ice creeps up and carves into a bare, four poster bed. Elsa brightens and lowers her hand, eyes beginning to twinkle.

_Perfect. _Excitement begins to course faster in her veins. She can create things on a grand scale _and_ on a small scale. _Then what else?_

A shiver runs up her spine and she rubs her fingertips together. Elsa glances down and contemplates her dress, eyes traveling down the gleaming fabric.

"The bed's bare," she mumbles to herself, biting her lip. "Let's start with that."

She raises her hand again and this time, tries to let her magic flow more slowly. It's harder to weave silk and velvet from nothing. It isn't like how she made her dress from something already and Elsa's brow furrows, shoulders twitching as she tries to direct strands and strands of ice together.

But when she finishes, the drape of white cloth glitters and falls delicately on top of the ice-blue bed. The canopy hangs and shimmers with a tiny dozen extra crystals she's added to its surface. Elsa beams, eyes lighting up like stars at the flawless material.

"I can do better," she whispers to herself and the thrum of power underneath her skin and in her veins tells her she that can.

Elsa carves patterns into the bed's legs, along its sides, and onto the headboard. Magic sparks as she twirls fractals into the bed's designs, spiraling it together with rosemaling. Her lips curl into a grin and she turns around to face the wall behind her. Her nerves race in elation and this time, the young Queen doesn't hold as much back. Ice shoots from her palm, a column springing up from the ground until it converges with the ceiling. The ice smooths until the entire pillar is completely round and her eyes light up as she commands the interior at the bottom of it to shape and sharpen. Within the ice, a crystal forms, its edges pointing in several directions. It glitters like an iridescent fire and pride fells her chest at the sight of it.

_Again. _

Elsa's cheeks flush as she turns to another corner in the room and magic erupts from her hands, hitting one spot on the wall and then another. A mirror etches out from the wall, intricate and tall. A chesterfield couch is built from the ground up, chairs, a grandfather clock—every idea that comes to her mind is woven and made from ice.

_Again! I can do better!_

Thirteen years of being contained causes the magic inside her to swelter and rise up, making her blood boil in excitement. Elsa can't hold herself back anymore as she lifts her arms up and makes small showers of snowflakes fall above her head.

_"Do the magic!"_

And then she's dancing again, twirling round and round, spreading her arms wide and fingers out stretching. Magic bursts from the tips, flying off in seemingly random directions. Elsa laughs, a blush coloring her cheeks and she twists her wrists and makes one beam of light and snowflakes arc up to the ceiling. Her nerves tingle and spark, practically humming with pleasure at her own light show. She makes snow fall into hills and planes, heels clacking against the floor as she steps this way and that.

A small flurry arises behind her, swirling and swirling.

Elsa is feverish. The blush on her cheeks darkens and she can't keep the grin off her face. She creates tiny sculptures out of snow, their shapes indistinct. Not for lack of power, but because she moves onto the next one before she finishes.

The flurry behind her keeps rising up. Ice begins to form at the bottom.

_"Do the magic! Do the magic!"_

Elsa laughs again, eyes closing in rapture as she spins. Her magic bursts forth without direction this time, creating showers and showers of snowflakes.

The ice behind her begins to take shape. A blocky image at first before it slims out, patterns weaving into it and features becoming more detailed.

She hears a child's giggle in her head and laughs along with it, pink, blue, and purple hues erupting on to the floor where her heels step. Her heart pounds in her chest and in her ears, an unknown melody swaying inside her.

The flurry makes pieces of the ice protrude, thinning out spots until things become more clear. Slim shoulders are touched by falling snowflakes, fingers are tapered off, and the details of a dress are touched upon.

Elsa twirls around, lips curved into a wide grin, white teeth flashing and cheeks pink. Her heart is beating like a racing horse.

A face is delicately carved from the ice, a button nose and freckled cheeks. Hair dolled up into a bun. Short eyelashes and thin lips.

Elsa lifts her hand up, ready to blast at another corner.

Unlike everything else, the ice rounds out into a human shape—smoothing out edges and corners.

Her heart is thunderous as she stops and whirls behind, fingers outstretched.

Only to point at a familiar face.

Everything comes crashing to a halt. The sprays of magic still in the air evaporate. The snowflakes falling from the ceiling drop as if they weigh like iron. The shimmers of different hues in the ice vanish. Her heart slams to a halt and she inhales sharply, eyes widening.

Elsa stares, flushed and shocked at the sight before her. The sudden silence in her Palace makes her all too aware of her rapid heartbeat. It drums in her ears and her chest heaves, lungs expanding vigorously for breath. Every muscle in her body is tense, but her mouth is slack, tongue too thick to form words.

The statue is unmoving before her. The head is tipped down in a bow, its—_hers, _a voice in her mind stresses—eyes closed. The gown, she recognizes it from the coronation. Hair that is supposed to be strawberry-blonde and fiery is a cold, stark blue. She leans in closer and notices with startling clarity that her magic had been so powerful that she can see individual strands of hair on the statue's head, wrapped and woven into a bun. Even the playful ribbon hadn't been forgotten. Elsa gasps softly and she brings a trembling hand to her mouth. The ice, as blue as everything else in her Palace, glimmers a faint teal throughout. Slim fingers grasps the hem in a courtesy and she spies—throat swallowing thickly—the faintest of smiles on thin lips.

She isn't sure why she expects it to move, but she does.

Shaking, Elsa takes a few steps forward. Her heels clack against the ice and the noise resounds in the still silent room. She stops in front of her creation and raises a hand. All she hears in her castle is her own heartbeat—_thundering _and _pounding_ in her ears—and when she touches her fingertips against frozen lips she can't stop the whimper that escapes her throat.

The statue is a picture perfect recreation of Anna. There are freckles—_freckles!_—that dot rounded cheeks, lighter in color than the rest of the ice. Its—_her, _her mind says again—eyelashes are lightly crusted with tiny white crystals of ice. Her thumb grazes against a bottom lip and Elsa shivers.

_My magic did this._

It isn't a question. Can't be. The proof stands before her, back bent into a bow. She can almost hear Anna's voice.

_"Elsa!"_

She swallows again and tears prick the corners of her eyes. She wonders what would have happened if things had been different. What if Anna had returned to her side not long after leaving her? What would she have said? For some reason, she imagines Anna running up to her, excitement on her face, all trace of her hurt at Elsa's rejection gone from her face.

Her sister would stumble, surely. Unused to titles and political manners, Anna would have called out her name before correcting herself and bowing.

_"I mean, Queen. Hi, me again."_

Despite herself, she laughs softly, pressing her free hand to her mouth. A shadow falls across her face however.

_If I hadn't gone out looking for her, Anna would introduced Hans to me. She would have asked that I bless their marriage._

Elsa frowns and traces her thumb against Anna's lips once again. She bites the inside of her cheek, a pang hitting her square in the chest. "Oh, what could I have said?" she whispers, the tears building up. "I couldn't have let you marry a man you just met. What if you were hurt in the end?"

_As if you haven't hurt her all these years._

Elsa tears her hand away, bringing them both to clasp protectively against her chest. Her thoughts go unbidden.

_The only day in forever where you allowed to open the gates and all you do is push her away again._

"I did it to protect her," Elsa whimpers. She shakes, wide eyes staring at slight, smiling visage in front of her. "What if we became close and I lost control again?" The memory of Anna's tiny body growing paler and colder in her arms that night shoots through her. Her shoulders hunch up to her ears and she wraps her arms around her torso. "What if I hurt her even worse than I did the first time?"

_Perhaps things wouldn't have been different after all. There's no way we could have been together._

How Anna would have reacted to Elsa's rejection of her and Hans's marriage proposal, she isn't sure. The thought of her sister's heartbroken face _burns. _Elsa can see her back retreating after being harshly rejected. She can hear Anna screaming—_pleading_—for her to stop running.

A shudder wracks her spine. Elsa's lower lip trembles and she glares at the ice statue.

"So why is this here?!" she screams, voice cracking. "Why a smile when the last thing you gave me were tears?"

Another shudders runs down her spine when she recalls the last moment she had looked at her sister.

_"Stay away from me."_

Anna's eyes had widened and it seemed as if her entire visage had crumbled.

A third shudder washes over her and then, all too suddenly, her strength leaves her. Elsa drops her arms and sighs, blinking at the ice statue. It hasn't moved. _Because it isn't actually Anna._

And _that_, she realizes, is why she expects it to. It's too still to be her sister. Ever since Anna had been a child, she had always been moving, whether it had been running, jumping, rolling in the snow or twisting in the bed sheets, her sister had moved forward in life with great leaps.

Elsa frowns, lips pursing.

_This statue is only a copy._

A rush of magic bursts from her fingertips. Elsa gasps, stepping back as a small flurry encircles her creation. The blue snowflakes fly up to the statue's face and she watches, eyes widening as the ice creaks and groans. It moves like solid liquid, similar to how she had commanded her Palace to rise from the ground. The slim figure's back unbends until it's level with her gaze and her pulse races when closed lids shift. She hears something like a chime or bell in the air and distantly realizes it's the sound of her magic. A stuttering, incomprehensible noise escapes her throat as closed eyelids gradually open.

Elsa gapes, shaking as frozen eyes stare into her own.

"I—! H-how is this even possible?"

Her breath catches and she clamps her hands over her mouth. Elsa isn't sure whether to be horrified or awed at her own power. She places a hand upon her chest, trying to will her heart to slow down. It pulses under her fingertips and she shivers again. The statue continues staring at her and she notices that, despite the change in posture, the slight smile is still there. The Queen steps forward again, drawn by something inexplicable. She swallows, fingertips shaking as she presses them to the image of her sister's lips. She traces the curve of her smile, a small one twitching at the corner of her own mouth.

_My magic did this._

Elsa blinks and her expression softens, muscles relaxing. The fear dissolves, letting warmth bloom in her chest. She breathes, bringing her other hand up to cup the statue's cheek. "Who am I fooling?" she whispers, leaning in and pressing her forehead against the ice. The tiny white crystals decorating short eyelashes is entrancing. "This is what I want. That's why my magic did this."

Elsa sniffs and closes her eyes. _All I want is for you to smile. Not just for you to smile, but for you to smile at __**me. **__At everything. For you to be happy. _

Inhaling quietly, Elsa rises up on her toes and brushes her lips against Anna's forehead. She sighs and wraps her arms around her creation, leaning her head on a stiff shoulder.

"But I have to protect you," Elsa whispers, opening her eyes and blinking away tears. "And if staying away means that's the only way for you to be safe and happy then so be it."

_A small price to pay. _

Elsa sniffs again and lifts one hand to stroke a cheek. Her thumb brushes over dotted light blue freckles and she smiles, bitterness flashing across her face. She laughs, once, and it's hollow in her ears.

"At least I have this," Elsa says. "Something to remember you by Anna."

Something pulls at her, tugs on her heart, and urges her. Elsa blinks, brow furrowing lightly. It's an unconscious desire. Somewhere in the back of her mind, a voice whispers.

_Let go. Let everything go._

Heat pools in her stomach and a shudder—stronger than all the other ones before—runs down her spine. Her cheeks flush and her chest heaves. Elsa lifts her head, eyes darting all over her creation's features. It doesn't move this time. She wonders if the first one was a fluke. Her eyes flutter shut when she presses her lips to its cheek and a shiver—delightful and soft—travels throughout her entire body. She sighs when she feels smooth ice under her. Her hand twitches and, instinctively, she grips the statue tighter. Elsa digs her nails into a shoulder and presses another kiss one the smooth ice, lower this time. The heat in her stomach spreads and she feels her pulse quicken. Elsa leans back and stares, eyes wide.

Blue eyes trace Anna's features and she recalls the way her sister had looked at the coronation. Garbed in dark and light green, slender figure entrapped by a dark bodice, and strawberry-blonde hair appearing like my flame-like orange by the chandelier's light.

Elsa smiles and brushes the back of her fingers against Anna's cheek.

"You were so beautiful," she murmurs.

A haze falls over her and her eyes flutter close as she leans in again. Her lips drift down lower, tingles beginning to spread throughout her body. Her pulse quickens at the sound of her own kisses and breathing. The ice almost feels soft under her touch and she all but drapes her body over it as she leans down just the barest bit.

"Anna," Elsa whispers, lips brushing the corner of her sister's mouth. Something stirs inside her and she tilts her head at last.

The kiss is chaste, firm enough to feel the texture underneath, yet soft enough to make her sigh into it. Her arms wrap all the way around Anna's head and her nails dig into stiff, strands of ice as hard as they can. A shudder wracks her entire body and her knees tremble as she presses her bosom into the sculpted bodice of her creation.

In the back of her mind, she's still aware the statue is ruse; a poor imitation of her sister. But the thought is driven away as she presses her lips harder onto a cold mouth, the slow burning in her stomach spreading down her legs. The hard surface almost feels pliant and warm under her hands. A fierce craving takes hold of her and she moans quietly into the kiss. Elsa pulls back, dragging her lips down a hard jaw, muscles tensing and heartbeat racing.

_I want—! _

She whimpers and buries her face in Anna's neck, pressing tiny kisses at the juncture where it meets a slim shoulder. Warmth pools in her stomach and her breath quickens. Her hands run over a bare back fingers tracing prominent shoulder blades and the ridge of a spine. Urgency tugs at her and Elsa shivers. Her face flushes, cheeks becoming impossibly red as she angles her head and kisses the corner of icy lips again. Unconsciously, spurred by something, her pelvis thrusts forward and grinds once against the ice. Elsa whines at the lack of returned friction. She wants—she _wants—!_

_What do I want?_

Beneath her fingertips, she feels another rush of magic. The groan and creak of ice once again is a lightning bolt in her mind.

Elsa's eyes snap open when she feels the ice statue move underneath her. The shoulder she leans on shifts and rolls. "W-what?" Elsa jerks her head back and glances down just in time to see an arm move between her legs. The fabric of her dress is stretched tight as icy, stiff fingers spread out and poke. A shudder races down her spine and Elsa gapes at the face before her. Anna's eyelids fall to half mast and her lips part. The young Queen swears she almost hears the softest whisper of her name.

"Oh," Elsa whimpers, cheeks blushing impossibly red as a few fingers press into the apex between her thighs and then stop. "How is this even p-possible?" she stammers, knees weakening. A surge of unbearable _heat _runs from her stomach down to her toes when she feels Anna's other arm reach down and wrap around her waist, pulling her closer. Fingers wiggle for a moment, trying to create better friction and she gasps as an index finger presses against her clothed clit. Elsa arches into the touch, cheeks burning when she hears her own heels clack and stumble against the floor. "A-Anna!" Elsa cries out and buries her face into her sister's neck again.

This is too fast, too sudden. She's barely aroused and the fingers pressing into her dress, although firm and continuously stroking her through her dress, feel dull. Everything feels too constricting and unfulfilling. Elsa moans and her hands scramble for something to hold. She gasps when the arm around her waist moves lower, cupping her rear. The touch is hard and her breathing quickens when she feels fingers dig into a pliable cheek.

This is too _fast_. But the little shocks and tremors making her shoulders twitch and shiver are distracting. Elsa pants, feeling the blood coursing in her veins.

_Is this another thing my magic can do?_

The idea that her powers can delve into her deepest desires is dizzying. Elsa bites her lips and whimpers again when Anna fully extends her index finger and presses it against her sex. "Oh god," the Queen whines, shutting her eyes tightly and clenching her jaw. The fabric of her dress is pulled tight, the finger sinking in just the barest breath into her core. Elsa stiffens, eyes widening to the size of dinner plates. She feels the ice move again and a nose presses into her shoulder, mirroring her pose. A _breath _ghosts over her skin. She shudders.

Everything goes still.

Anna—_the statue, _her mind feebly protests—stops. Her hand simply stays there, fingers pausing. Her other hand is still cupping her rear and now, more than ever, Elsa realizes how much she aches. The digits holding her derrière are apparent; so readily _there _that it's warm in spite of the statue being made of cold, hard ice. The heat in her stomach grows and spreads to chest. Her heart races. Her thighs tremble. Elsa whimpers and tightens her arms around Anna's neck.

It's the small drop of sweat rolling down the nape of her neck that undoes her.

Again, she is reminded she's alone.

_Free._

A wave washes over her, hot and rolling. Elsa's eyes shut and she presses as close as she can be to Anna.

"More," she whispers.

As if heeding her call, magic spreads outward from her chest and to her fingertips. It flows down onto Anna's shoulders and the ice moves again. Elsa's eyes roll to the back of her head when the hand at her rear cups her harder. It's a different touch than the finger that pushes against her clothed sex. She's never dared to touch her rear in such a way. The thought had never even crossed her mind. She didn't even think she would be _sensitive _ now, as Anna drifts her finger slowly—_slowly _because she's stiff and hard—over her core, drifting up higher and higher with each stroke, Elsa is aware of every nerve in her body.

"Mmph," Elsa grunts and pushes back against the hand at her rear. It sends a shock up her spine when she feels the digits curl into her flesh. Even the fabric of her dress can't dull the feeling of being groped there. "M-more," Elsa whines, tightening her grip on Anna's shoulders. "Anna, harder. _Please._"

Another icy breath washes over her neck and shoulder. Elsa moans softly at the rush of air. The hand at her rear splays out its fingers, gripping the flesh beneath tighter and squeezing.

"Ah!" Elsa's breath hitches and her back arches from the jolt that runs up her spine. The finger at her sex curls up, the back of it brushing over her opening, and she feels _pleasure _burn low in her stomach for the first time. Elsa trembles and bites her lips. The hand behind her moves lower and squeezes.

She tingles all over.

"Ah-_naa_," Elsa moans and lays her head to rest against a hard shoulder. Wetness gathers at last between her legs and little shivers dance up and down her thighs. She sighs when the finger at her sex gently brushes against her clothes, teasing the heat gathering there. The feeling is barely there now and she tightens her arms around a smooth neck, burying her face again. "Pease," Elsa breathes, squeezing her eyes shut.

The finger stops, pausing directly in front of the entrance to her core.

Elsa pants, shoulders twitching. A bead of sweat runs down her neck and she shivers when icy air brushes over her skin again. A rush runs through her when her derrière is clutched tightly. She groans, leaning forward. The sound of her heels clattering against the icy floor sends a shock down her spine. Pleasure flares hotter in her lower abdomen. Elsa whines when the hand at her sex withdraws.

"Wait, no." She clutches at stiff shoulders and tries to follow the retreating digits with her hips. Need pulses between her legs. She arches forward, fumbling on the tips of her heels. "_Please,_" Elsa whimpers.

_I want more. _

Magic flows through her fingertips. Anna moves again and this time, Elsa can feel her whole hand cup her sex roughly. Her eyes snap open. Elsa gasps, bucking involuntarily into the sudden touch. A hard thumb presses against her clothed clit, rubbing circles around it and Elsa feels fire pour into her veins. Her face flushes, warmth traveling down her neck and over her back, settling somewhere between her front and her rear. Her nerves are beginning to spark and her breath hitches when the hand at her backside squeezes again, harder this time, icy nails digging in just enough to add a hint of pain.

It's exciting.

"M-more," Elsa pants. It's a broken mantra on her lips. She spreads her legs farther apart, trying to give Anna better acess to her entrance. Her whole body twitches when her sister takes the cue and presses up, thumb pressing directly against her clit. Elsa whines and thrusts her hips forward. Pleasure strikes like small shocks. She bucks repeatedly into the hand, trying to find a steady flow of friction.

Her dress dulls the feeling however and Elsa bites her lip at the unsatisfactory sensation.

"Stop," Elsa whispers and the hand rubbing against her clothed opening pauses.

Her hind cheek is groped reassuringly and she moans at the gesture, heart beating erratically in her chest. Heat pulses in her stomach and she's positive that her sex is swollen by now. Going on instinct, she reaches down and tugs at the slit on her dress, pulling the fabric higher. Her legs tremble, straining with the effort it takes to keep her on her toes. Elsa's breath hitches when she realizes that her thighs are slick. Inhaling shakily, she lifts herself up, balancing on the very edges of her heels. Then, Elsa exhales and slowly presses down onto the waiting hand beneath her.

A jolt shoots up her spine when her swollen sex meets stiff fingers. Immediately, Anna's hand curls up and her thumb returns to stimulating her clit. She isn't wearing anything underneath her dress. The cold doesn't bother her. She's resilient to it. But the fingers that curl up actually provide friction. Her heated core is bare against them; grinding and rubbing along the digits. They push up, the heel of Anna's palm brushing her sensitive bundle of nerves with each stroke. The pressure is so readily _there_ that Elsa throws her head back and cries out.

_God! _

There's a rush of breath on her shoulder. Elsa grits her teeth and groans, rolling her hips down repeatedly upon her sister's stroking hand. Little shocks fire off everywhere in her body, making her shoulders, arms, and legs twitch with each caress. Her lungs fight for air and her chest heaves from exertion. Sweat dots her forehead and runs down the side of her face. Elsa jerks her hips forward, slamming into the immobile pelvis in front of her. She moans when the hand at her rear gropes her, the pliable flesh becoming more and more sensitive with each squeeze.

"Yes!" Elsa shuts her eyes, moaning and digging her fingernails into a slim back. She's rewarded with another squeeze on her rear and this time, when a finger slides over and parts her hindcheeks, she squeals. "Ah, just like that Anna!"

She's answered with a harsh press against her clit. Elsa screams, her shout reverberating throughout the room. The sound seems to cause a hum in the air. Light sparks behind her eyes and she begins to lose her sense of self. She thrusts repeatedly into the hand beneath, spine arching as fingertips run along her sex. Her breath hitches when two fingers pinch her clit. A shock runs up her stomach at the sensation and she moans.

Sound, sight—everything begins to fade away except for the pleasure burning in her abdomen.

Elsa trembles, words falling from her lips. "Anna, I-I'm so c-close. I—uhn!" Her hips buck when her sister palms her clit, icy wind brushing over her bare shoulder and neck. She pants, mouth open and eyes darting beneath their lids. The hand cupping her sex works more furiously now, thumb rubbing tiny, tiny circles at the swollen bundle of nerves. Her knees are weak and she can barely stand on her own, shaking as much as she is. Elsa whines and rolls her hips, nerves tingling with the edge of her orgasm. "Anna, please!"

Two fingers pause at her opening. Elsa digs her nails into the ice under her hands. She holds her breath, heart hammering in her chest. She's all but draped over the figure in front of her. Her thighs—slick and spread as far as they can be in her current position—_shake. _Breath ghosts over her skin, slow and almost comforting.

_"Please," _Elsa whimpers, thrusting her hips forward with her last bit of strength.

There's a creak and slither of ice. A small nose brushes against the juncture between her neck and shoulder—tender and almost _warm. _Elsa sighs at the gesture, leaning her cheek against the one beside her.

Fingertips—two of them—push inside her sex. Just until the first knuckle. Then, Anna curls her fingers.

A lightning shock races through Elsa's body. She screams, spine arching with the force of her sudden climax. Light floods her vision and her body shakes violently as waves of pleasure ripple from her core and outward. It feels like melting and her limbs strain with the effort to keep her upright.

"Anna!" Elsa whines, bucking her hips into the hand inside her.

It feels as if she will never have enough oxygen inside her body. Every nerve is sparking with such pleasure that she thinks she'd slide right onto the floor if Anna wasn't holding her up. Anna pushes her hand up against her and Elsa stands on the tips of her heels, breath catching. She can't possibly go any higher.

As if designed to prove her wrong, the hand on her backside drifts lower. The finger between her hind cheeks stops at her rear opening before grinding down.

Elsa jerks her head back, eyes snapping open at the sudden sensation. "I– what?!" Anna presses down harder, brushing back and forth across her opening. Heat flares from the spot and every muscle in her body goes taut. Elsa throws her head back, staring unseeing at the crystal chandelier. A choked cry dies in her throat and spots of blue, purple, and pink dance in her vision. Pleasure rockets from both of her entrances, lifting her higher and higher.

Her muscles spasm around the fingertips inside her and she comes on the icy hand still stroking her core. It feels like hours before her body relaxes and when she returns to earth, she finds herself leaning completely against the statue.

Elsa pants slowly, eyes hooded. She's spent, muscles twitching in exhaustion every now and then. She's _sore _too. "Oh god," the Queen groans, shutting her eyes. She's never felt _this _kind of soreness before. It's a mix of pain and pleasure, something that makes her stomach quiver still despite the effort she's just exerted. _I guess with two people it's different._

Her eyes flutter open and land on the icy shoulder she's been leaning on.

A tremor runs down her spine.

Elsa blinks, slowly—shakily—pushing herself back. Her blue eyes widen and she swallows thickly. Something burns inside her, not at all similar to the pleasant sensations she's just felt.

"No," Elsa whispers to herself, wetness pricking the corner of her eyes. She slides off the hand underneath, breath catching when she realizes that the fingertips are still inside her and her rear is still being gripped. Elsa grits her teeth, grabbing both shoulders and digging her nails in. "This is an illusion," she hisses, the tears in her eyes threatening to spill.

_An illusion created by my own magic to satisfy my own selfish, ugly needs. Cold and hard. Nothing like Anna. An imitation._

"It's not what I want!"

With a strangled sob, she clutches the statue and lets her magic bursts from her hands. It _shatters _under her hold, cracking and splintering into tiny shards of ice and snow—dusts of her power falling in its wake. The pieces fall to the floor, clattering, and the sound echoes throughout her Palace chambers.

Elsa crumples along with her creation, burying her face in her hands. She sobs, all remnants of ecstasy and bliss gone. She's acutely are of how wet her thighs are, knows that underneath her dress is the sign of her climax. Shame makes her curl into herself. Her guilt returns as though it had never left. Elsa's shoulders shake and slides down on her side, trying to make herself as small as possible. Anna's teary face flashes through her mind.

_Even coming to the North Mountain won't diminish what I feel._

And, she realizes with a small sob, her longing has only intensified.

She wants nothing more than to hold Anna—the _real _Anna, her sister, sweet and warm—in her arms.

_But I have to protect her. _

She lets the hours slip by, holding herself on the floor.

* * *

"Elsa!"

Her shout echoes solemnly throughout the forest. There is no answer and there hasn't been an answer for hours. The summer night has passed and dawn had broken a while ago. She's been on this path for some time.

"Elsa!"

Anna bites her lip and gazes around the trees, clutching the reins as tightly as she can without spooking her mount. "It's me," she cries out, brow furrowing, "Anna! Your sister who didn't mean to make you freeze the summer!" She hears another rush of cold air and shivers. "I-I'm s-sorry, i-it's all my fault," she says, weaker this time.

Her only answer is her own echo.

Anna frowns, eyes flickering over every branch and pine. Frustration boils in her blood and she exhales, slumping slightly in her saddle. Her horse snorts, shaking his head. Anna turns back to him and smiles crookedly. "Of course, none of this would have happened if she had just told me her secret. She's a stinker." She laughs once and he snorts.

_But it also wouldn't have happened if I had just been more __**patient.**_

The smile vanishes from her face. Anna's brow furrows and she silently urges her horse on.

_But I've been patient for so long. I was sick of waiting. _

Anna sighs and glances around, teal eyes back to searching the forest. They're in a tiny clearing. She should see _something _by now.

_Oh Elsa, where are you? Please don't be hurt. __**Please.**_

A noise splits the air.

Anna starts as a pile of snow falls from a branch in front of her. Her horse jumps, rearing and whinnying in fright. She's flung from his back like a rag doll, landing in a heap of snow. Spluttering, Anna stares in shock as her white horse takes off, heading in the direction back to Arendelle.

"Oh no, no, no! Wait, come back!" she stammers, hand outstretching uselessly.

Njord pays her no mind and the last she sees of him is his fading, brushed tail. Anna blinks, curling her hand protectively towards her chest. Her teeth chatter and she shivers, eyes darting everywhere.

"Okay…"

_What now?_

She pushes away the realization that she's alone—_again_.

And it's getting colder.

* * *

_Snow._

The bitter bite of it is everywhere, pure in its softness and color all around her. In contrast, the sky is dark; a deep blue lit only by tiny stars.

It's so cold. How long has she been walking?

Anna grits her teeth and lifts her leg through another drift, straining with the effort to step forward. "Snow," she hisses, tugging her dress up. It feels heavy under her tired limbs and she's all too aware of how thin her cloak is now. "It _had_ to be snow. She couldn't have had tropical magic that covered the fjords in white sand and warm—"

A golden light flickers at the bottom of the hill.

"—_fire!_" Anna breathes, laughing in sheer relief.

A tiny cabin lies ahead; its window the source of the warm firelight. Smoke rises into the night air from its chimney and she already feels herself melting at the thought of standing in its cozy interior.

But—

Anna loses her footing. The ground slips underneath her and then she's tumbling down the hill, crying out in surprise. She flips in the air like a ball and lands in the gurgling creek with a splash.

_Oh god, it's cold!_

Anna stares, eyes wide and jaw slack. Water trickles up her legs and through her dress. She's certain her bloomers are soaked. Her privates feel practically _frozen._ Shivering and squeaking, she scrambles to grasp the rockbed behind her and pushes herself up, shoulders hunching up to her ears. The water on her gown freezes into a thin coat of rime and frost within seconds.

"Uh! C-cold, cold, cold!" the princess whimpers, hurrying through the creek as fast as her ballroom slippers can take her.

At last—to her relief—she finds herself in front of the cabin steps.

She already feels warmer just standing at the entrance. Anna bats the sign until the snow falls off it.

"W-Wandering Oaken's Trading Post," she reads slowly. _A trading post? This far out? How many people actually come here?_

Then she remembers, she isn't the best judge for that. She's been living in a castle for thirteen years without ever crossing its gates. Sighing, shoulders dropping, she moves to walk up the steps.

_Criiick!_

She stops, glancing down at her feet. The bottom of her dress is covered in rime. She can't raise her foot any higher.

_Oh. Really?_

With a huff, she yanks her leg up onto the porch, then swings her remaining foot to join it. Stumbling towards the door, Anna shakily grabs the knob and tugs it open. The moment she's through the threshold, warmth is all around. Anna steps through it and looks around, shivering and murmuring in relief. Her quieting cooing is cut short when the door slams behind her.

Squeaking, she jumps farther in and glances around, raising her arms to rub warmth into her chilled skin.

_Oh thank god, finally I'm warm again. Now, uh, let's see—_

"Hoo hoo!"

"Hm?" Anna blinks and turns around, peering over the shelves of some merchandise to the counter that she's only just noticed.

A large man stands behind it, garbed in merry winter wear. The smile on his face and his portly stature bring a modicum of relief that abates the nervousness rising quickly in her chest at the sight of a stranger.

She has to remember she is no longer inside the castle walls. No longer imprisoned and no longer safe.

Gulping hard, she mumbles a soft, "Oh, hello."

He smiles at her and that puts her more at ease. "Big summer blowout! Half off clogs, swimming trunks, and a sun balm of my own invention!"

Blinking, Anna glances at the shelves he gestures towards and feels her mind clicking into gear. With a slight blush coloring her cheeks, she grips at her skirts and says, "O-Oh! Great! Thank you. But f-for now how about.…boots? Winter boots. And- and dresses. _Dresses_ please."

Though the stranger seems kind, Anna does not forget her uneasiness. She's acutely aware then of the cut of her dress and hopes that the frost and rime has not allowed there to be any telltale shapes that could give her away. At the castle, there had never been anyone for her to fear. But—

_"She nearly killed me! That monster must be stopped!"_

If strangers could speak so illy of Elsa, she thinks she should be a little wary of the outside world.

But the large man merely smiles at her and points to the side. "That would be in our winter department."

She follows his direction and stares at the corner, frowning when she notices the tiny, tiny assortment of clothes.

_At least there's a dress,_ she notes in relief. Anna scurries over and picks up the dark blue garb, along with a cloak and a pair of boots. She speaks as she walks back to the counter, curiosity nagging at her brain. "I was just wondering sir, if anyone else has passed through here?" She takes a gamble and prays his demeanor is honestly kind. "Say, the _Queen_, perhaps?"

But the portly owner just grins and twiddles his fingers. "Only one crazy enough to be out in this storm is you dear."

Anna opens her mouth, about to ask if he's at least seen a young woman with white-gold hair when the slam of the door interrupts her. The cabin is suddenly filled with the sound of howling wind and she jumps, unaccustomed to doors opening so abruptly. Anna whirls around to see a tall figure at the entrance.

Oaken blinks, glancing at her before looking back at his new customer.

It's a young man. At least she thinks so. She knows she shouldn't base people on their stature. He's also covered head to toe in dark clothing, a mask covering the majority of his face. The figure grunts and shuts the door against the shrieking wind. It slams shut and the cabin goes quiet again.

"You and this fellow," Oaken says. He grins and gestures at his jar of oil. "Hoo hoo! Big summer blowout!"

Anna ignores him, blinking at the new stranger. She stares, tilting her head.

_He's covered in snow. I wonder if he's—_

Before she can fully dwell on the thought, he's striding towards her. Anna stiffens, shoulders rising up to her ears as he stops in front of her. She steps back, heart jumping in her throat when he leans in close.

An irrational moment of fear sparks in her stomach and she wonders if he's noticed something off about her figure. Anna leans back against the counter, stammering, "Y-yes?"

He glares at her behind his mask and she can see that he has brown eyes now.

Anna feels that irrational fear sink in deeper the more he stares at her pointedly. She moves her arms discreetly over her abdomen, glancing away, whistling under her breath. She feels breath on her cheek and tenses, trying to ignore the way he stares at her.

_Why is he so __**close? **__Please tell me he hasn't noticed anything. How many people outside the gates act like this?_

"Carrots."

The single word breaks her from her thoughts and makes her look back.

"Hm?" she quips, eyes widening.

He leans in even _closer _and she gets a whiff of..._something._

_Ugh, what is that smell? H-Horse? No, goat? Ugh._

"Behind you," he grumbles, breaking her from her train of thought.

Anna starts, looking behind her to see a stash of carrots under the counter. "Oh! O-Oh, right! Excuse me!" she stammers, flashing him a sheepish grin and jumping out of the way.

He doesn't say a word, merely grabs the carrots and throws them on the counter, ignoring her and dissipating any traces of her discomfort with his obliviousness.

"Whoo, a real howler in July, yes? Wherever could it be coming from?" Oaken says, breaking the tension in the air, though Anna is still preoccupied with the stranger.

Her interest is only further piqued when he grunts and grabs a pickaxe from the wall, inspecting it as he huffs, "The North Mountain."

_Wait. _An idea begins to form in the back of her mind.

"North Mountain," she whispers to herself, frowning.

_Elsa ran directly across the fjord. The North Mountain is the tallest mountain around, according to those old maps in the library. Did she go there to hide?_

She's snapped back to reality when she notices the mountain man standing next to her. She steps back a few paces and shivers when he gives her a sidelong glance. He doesn't pay her any mind though when he places the pickaxe and some rope on the counter and Oaken quips, "That'll be forty."

With a disgruntled snort, the stranger scoffs, "Forty? No, ten."

That makes the two men begin to bicker and Anna wavers on the edge, glancing between the mountain man and the merchant.

"Oh dear, that's no good," Oaken says, shaking his head. He gestures at the rope and pickaxe. "You see this is from our winter department, but supply and demand have a big problem."

"You want to talk about a supply and demand problem?" the stranger grumbles. "I sell _ice _for a living," he grunts, jerking his chin towards the window.

Anna follows his gaze and spots a sled packed with blocks of ice. Her eyes widen and a snort escapes her mouth without thinking. She laughs, saying, "Ooh, that's a rough business to be in right now. I mean, that is really—" she turns to look up at him just in time to see him give her an annoyed expression. She stops, color draining from her face and settles back down, fumbling with her hands and clearing her throat. "A-Ahem, that's unfortunate."

Guilt makes her stay quiet for the rest of the young man's exchange with Oaken.

The portly merchant shrugs and says, "Still forty. But I will throw in a visit to Oaken's sauna." He twiddles his fingers in the direction of a room at the back. "Hoo hoo, hi family!"

A group of people wave happily—"Hoo hoo!"—and Anna smiles, waving back. Though her hand lowers after a moment when her eyes flick up and down their naked bodies and a knot of uneasiness curls in her stomach. She's not used to seeing naked people. While the castle staff had all been aware of her body since she was small, only Kai, Gerda, and a few other maids had ever been allowed to bathe or clothe her. Excluding the short time in her life when she and Elsa had bathed together as children, she hasn't seen another naked body in _years._

Anna's eyes dart over the family before lowering to the ground, her arms coming up to curl around her abdomen. She can't pin down why, but their nakedness makes her nervous. It makes her all too aware that the outside world is different. It's both exciting and terrifying.

_But I can't be scared of the outside, I need to find Elsa._

Her thoughts are cut off when the mountain man sighs in exasperation and for the first time since he's entered, Anna hears the exhaustion and beseeching in his voice. "Ten's all I got. Help me out."

Her heart goes out to him.

But Oaken just shakes his head and smiles, pushing the carrots forward instead. "Okay. That'll get you this and no more."

Sensing that something's about to go wrong and her time is up, Anna sidles over to the mountain man's side and tries to catch his attention. "Okay just tell me one thing," she begins, gesturing with her hands. She takes the chance that this stranger has seen more than her and Oaken on this night. "What was happening on the North Mountain? Did it seem- hmm, _magical?_"

_He said the storm was coming from the North Mountain. He __**has **__to know something right? Please tell me he'll know something about Elsa._

It's slowly becoming clear to her that she's been trekking through snow and wind in search of her sister with no _real_ direction, no sense of it and no idea as to where her sister might have possibly gone. She needs whatever experience or knowledge this man has to further her search.

He flashes her a look of irritation at her inquiry, his momentary fatigue gone. The mountain man pulls down his mask and huffs, "Yes! Now back up," he gestures to her and then to Oaken, eyes narrowing, "while I deal with this _crook_ here."

There's a dead moment of silence. Oaken rises from his chair slowly and Anna hears the young man gulp. She steps back, mouth dropping as the portly mountain towers above them, a displeased look on his face.

"What did you...call me?"

The young man doesn't even get a word in elsewise before Oaken grabs him by the shoulders and easily begins to haul him out of the shop. Anna stares, watching the well-built stranger struggle fruitlessly.

When Oaken throws him out and shuts the door, settling back into his chair again and smiling happily, Anna can only keep staring. The merchant clears his throat and twiddles his fingers. "I'm sorry about this violence. I will add a quart of lutefisk, so you will have good feelings." Then, he gestures to her assortment of clothes. "Just the outfit and the boots, ja?"

Anna blinks slowly. "Uhh…"

She stares down at the pickaxe and carrots, then glances outside the window. She sees him sitting slumped down in the snow, looking almost pitiful.

The gears in her mind begin to turn as she looks down at the carrots once again.

_North Mountain. Elsa. Snow. Sled. Mountain man._

She makes her decision then.

"U-um, actually, I was wondering if..."

* * *

When she makes her purchases, Oaken leads her to the room in the back for privacy's sake. It's really more of a tiny closet made for storing tools than a fitting room or some other such thing. She's grateful to him all the same though, and thinks to herself that perhaps not everyone in the outside world is like the Duke.

_Well of course they aren't. Hans is nice. And capable too._

She lets herself feel at ease that at least she left Arendelle in good hands before starting her trek. The management of Arendelle is one less thing she has to worry about. She tries to content herself with the fact that Hans would at least watch over its citizens while the ruling family was absent. For a brief moment, as she moves to undo the bodice of her coronation dress, it occurs to her that maybe someone else should've been in charge of Arendelle's safety, rather than a foreigner._ T-The council, maybe?_ Anna gulps. She was ill-equipped in politics. The older she'd gotten, the less privy she'd become to those affairs after her parents had started paying less and less attention to her studies. Eventually, everything had just stopped.

_I… Should I have done something else?_

Before she can start worrying about Arendelle again though, her thoughts are broken when she hears a shuffle beyond the closet door. Anna startles and grips the stack of clothes she's bought tight to her chest. Her heart hammers hard inside her rib cage, stomach flipping over as she listens to the sound of footsteps beyond the wood. They stop after a few minutes and she sighs, letting her heartbeat slow.

After a moment, Anna glances down at the stack of new clothes she holds. Though she has no currency on her, Oaken had said he'd be more than happy to trade her the clothes for the ballgown she was currently wearing. Not dying from the cold was worth more than the—admittedly lovely and well-tailored—green dress.

Telling herself not to linger any longer, Anna reaches behind her to undo her bodice. It falls away from her and Anna allows herself to breathe, the corset still on her person. She's not exactly large in that area, but keeping it for a long time still tires her out. The princess huffs as she reaches for the gray-blue shirt that goes under the black velvet bodice she's picked out and pulls it on. It fits loose around her arms and chest and she tugs at the hem, unsure if the looseness makes her nervous or relieved.

Then, carefully, she reaches for her waistline and tugs at her skirts, peeling them down her legs. When they lower halfway down her thighs, her eyes dart over to the door, heartbeat starting to race. _No, no. It's okay. Mr. Oaken seems nice. He wouldn't come in here. _Swallowing hard, she pulls her dress down farther and then it drops to her feet. Anna closes her eyes for a moment, murmuring to herself a few soft words of comfort. When her bravery comes back, she opens them and briefly looks down at her bloomers, then moves swiftly to grab the blue winter skirt.

At the castle, there had never been more than another pair of eyes on her to watch her as she dressed and though she knows people can't see through wood, she feels exposed now that she's outside the gates. She grips the dress tightly and slips her legs into it, yanking it quickly up to her waist. When it passes up her bloomers and hides the bulge of her groin, she lets out a sigh of relief.

"Good, good, you're good," she mumbles, moving to grab the belt that holds everything in place. She straps it around her and smiles slightly, muscles relaxing now that she's finished her task. "And now just for these things," Anna says, slipping on her boots.

The cloak follows afterwards and she's grateful for the extra layer of fabric, smile growing when it covers her front easily. When she fastens it gently around her neck, she stops to admire the silver clasps. The elegance of the design reminds her slightly of Elsa.

_Almost there._

Sighing, Anna grabs her bag and then her cap, placing it on her head. She opens the door and steps out, more at ease now with her state of dress.

She walks down the cabin, waving a quick goodbye to Oaken.

Then, just as she's about to leave, she notices something on one of the shelves in that moment. Her eyes zero in on a small jar that catches the light of the cabin's interior, glimmering with a viscous liquid inside it. Anna's eyes widen. _Olive oil!_ On the chance that the mountain man wouldn't be satisfied with her bargain of buying him that pickaxe and stash of carrots, she could always try the oil as a bribe. Out as far as this little shop is in the neck of the woods, she doubts that olive oil is easy to come by.

Anna swipes it from the shelf, turning it over in her palms. She walks back to the counter, setting the jar on it. "Excuse me, Oaken?"

Oaken glances up at her, grinning.

Anna gently pushes the bottle forward, a smile quirking up on her lips. "I'd like this too."

A few minutes later, she's minus her ballgown _and_ her necklace.

* * *

The gentle melody of a lute makes her pause. She stands before the barn door, watching the flickering glow of a lantern before gathering her courage. Anna pushes the door open, an easy grin on her lips. If she's going to try and convince this man to take her to the North Mountain, she has to make a better impression on him, so she softly quips, "Nice duet."

The young man jumps, scrambling on the stack of hay, surprise flashing across his face. He exhales in relief when he sees it's her. "Oh, it's just _you_."

Her smile disappears and she shifts in place.

"What do you want?" he asks.

Anna pauses for a brief second. She knows her request is going to sound preposterous, but she also knows she has to take chances. And a deal with this mountain man is one of those chances. Anna squares her shoulders before saying, "I want you to take me up the North Mountain."

He stares at her as if she's a painting come to life, one eyebrow raising. There's a long moment where even his reindeer watches her, snorting and tilting his head. Then, he huffs and grabs his hat, settling into the haystack beneath him. "I don't take people places."

_Okay, back-up plan._ Anna searches through her bag and grabs the small sack. "Let me rephrase that," she begins, clutching it tightly. Then, she throws the sack at him and he jumps up with a grunt, startled when it hits him square in the stomach. He glances down at the sack quickly before glaring up at her, which she returns with equal force, jaw set. "Take me up the North Mountain." The mountain man opens his mouth to protest, but she cuts him off. "Please," Anna stresses.

He stares at her before rummaging through the sack, pulling out the rope and pickaxe. Surprise flashes across his face before he looks back at her and _this _time, he regards her more seriously.

Anna sighs and says in exasperation, "Look, I know how to stop this winter."

He's quiet for another moment before sighing and laying back down on the hay. "We leave at dawn." There's a beat before he adds, smirking, "And you forgot the carrots for Sven."

She throws the second sack at him and he yelps when it hits him in the face. Anna jumps, biting her lip and hurriedly saying, "Oops, sorry! Sorry, I'm sorry, I didn't—" her eyes dart everywhere, hands frantically trying to placate the glare he throws her way. And then she remembers why she's here. Why she's currently trying to get this man to take her to the North Mountain. _Elsa. _Anna stops and clears her throat, squaring her shoulders. "We leave _now_. Right now."

Straightening, she turns on her heel and walks out of the shed, head held high.

But as soon as she disappears from his sight, Anna slumps against the barn door and exhales heavily. "Phew." _That could have gone better._

She listens and hears the crunch of a carrot.

Hope flares in her chest.

And _that _is how she first meets Kristoff.

* * *

"It'll take us a couple of nights, but we should get there in good time," Kristoff explains as he loads up the sled. His reindeer huffs excitedly, tail tip twitching in delight as the mountain man stops to pat him on the head. Then, he turns back to Anna and she stiffens at the hard look in his eyes. "So long as you hold up _your_ end of the bargain about my ice business, I'm willing to take you as far as you need to go."

Anna puffs out her chest, drawing herself to her full height and nods. "You have my word," she says, voice dipping back into the tone she's rarely used. It's the one her father had taught her so long ago, back when she was still different as a child and he had thought he'd been raising a prince instead of a princess.

_Authoritative_, he had called it. She'd never really understood it back then, and had never been sure if she had pulled it off successfully in her lessons.

Kristoff stares at her for another long moment—and that makes her think that maybe she was unsuccessful—before he extends his hand slowly. She blinks at it.

"Shake on it."

She starts, blinking rapidly. "Excuse me?"

His eyes narrow. "If you shake on it now right now, I'll choose to trust you."

Something in the way he speaks makes her frown. Anna draws herself to her full height again and grabs his hand, giving it a firm shake. There's a slight crunch of bone. Surprise flashes across his face and he quickly drops her hand, pulling his own back and wiggling his fingers.

"Ow, alright. You gave me your word. Didn't have to go and nearly crush my hand in the process," he grumbles.

Anna gapes at him. "You told me to shake your hand! That's all I did!"

He scoffs and turns back to the sled, climbing in. "You're stronger than you look then."

Anna's stomach sinks and she fidgets. "I _keep _my promises," she stresses, trying to distract herself from the comment.

He stops and eyes her, eyebrow quirking up. "Your sister mean that much to you?" he asks and she snaps her gaze up to him. "I mean, you're basically going on a wild goose chase here. There's no real way of knowing the magic coming from the North Mountain is hers." He narrows his eyes. "Is she _really _worth all this?"

Anna swallows thickly and clutches her bag. She inhales slowly and fixes him with her hardest look. Fire burns in her eyes and heart.

"Yes," she says, pouring all her love into her words again. "Elsa means more to me than anything else. Elsa _and _Arendelle. They're precious to me." Anna bites her lip and glances to side, heartache settling in her chest. "But especially Elsa," she whispers.

There's a long pause between them.

Then, she hears him huff and glances up to see him shifting things on the sled. He gestures to the spot next to him.

"Get on. We don't have all the time in the world."

Anna beams and clambers onto the sled. When she's settled, Kristoff grabs the reins and urges Sven forward. Anna watches the trading post disappear behind them, watches trees begin to surround them, and watches the expanses of snow in between.

A bone weariness settles upon her. She blinks, eyelids heavy. Anna shifts before slumping in her seat. Her limbs feel like iron and she finds it hard to stare at anything but her black boots. The events of today and the previous night finally catch up to her and she feels a haze fall over her, lulling her. Kristoff glances at her. She's nodding off and he seems to notice.

"You can sleep for a bit if you want."

Anna jumps, staring at him with wide eyes. She blushes, straightening in her seat and mentally cursing her endurance. "Oh no, I couldn't, sorry," she stammers, tucking a lock of hair behind her ears. "I wouldn't want to just lounge in your sled after making you go through all this trouble."

He scoffs and rolls his eyes, looking back toward the trail. "How long were you walking in the snow with that dress of yours?"

Anna blinks, frowning. "Uh, since this morning. After I lost my horse." He gives her a sidelong glance and she grins sheepishly. "He got spooked by something and ran off." _I hope Njord is okay..._

Kristoff glares at her and she wonders if he only knows a few expressions. "So you were walking for nearly the whole day?" She nods and he scoffs, looking back to the front. "Knew it. You're exhausted. Get some rest. I'll wake you up in a few hours if that makes you feel better."

Anna opens her mouth to protest before he shuts her another glare and she clamps it shut. She flashes him a tiny smile and mutters a soft, "Thank you Kristoff."

He merely grunts in response. Anna fiddles with her bag, setting it down as a makeshift pillow, before leaning her head on it. The sound of Sven's hooves running across the forest floor lulls her to sleep and the last sight she sees are the patches of glittering, soft snow.

She closes her eyes, chest beginning to rise and fall in slow movements.

_Wait for me Elsa. I'm coming for you._

* * *

Something wakes her up. She isn't certain what. She doesn't even know when she fell asleep, she just did. But something calls to her, rouses her gently from her slumber.

_Anna._

Elsa blinks, eyes fluttering open. She lifts her head, squinting at the interior of her Palace. It's dark. The sun must have set hours ago. The only thing keeping her from being shrouded in complete darkness is the natural light of her ice. Her Palace shines in hues of blue and purple. The crystallized imitation of fire she made within the long reaching column illuminates her bed chambers.

Elsa pushes herself to her feet, wincing when she feels an ache in her bones. Her limbs are stiff and sore. She guesses the stiffness is from sleeping on the floor for so long. The soreness, she ignores. Sighing, Elsa rubs her eyes and looks around.

_I was dreaming._

"But of what?" she mutters to herself. Her temples throb and she shuts her eyes. Images flash through her mind and she shudders when she recalls vague hints of strawberry-blonde hair and teal eyes. She remembers splotches of _red _too—shards of ice glittering in the light of day—and the tremor that passes through her makes her physically ill. Elsa's eyes snap open and she clamps her hands over her mouth. "No," she whispers, the color from her face draining.

_No, nothing like that could ever happen. Anna is safe in Arendelle. Everyone is safe in Arendelle. _

But even still, she decides to take precautions.

Elsa strides to her balcony, pushing the doors open and gazing out at the night sky. She squares her shoulders, minutely going over the path she had taken to the North Mountain. Nodding to herself, she raises her hands and lets her magic flow through her.

_I have to protect her._

Her magic soars far, far into the night.

And after several hours, she slumps to the floor, spent. Chest heaving, Elsa shakily pushes herself to her feet. The doors shut behind her as she drags her body to her bed this time. She falls onto it and curls up, tears brimming the corners of her eyes.

She's free, but in this moment she feels more alone than ever.

_Oh Anna, why do I keep wishing you were here?_


	6. The Eye Part II

**A/N: **The long awaited scene. Thank you for your patience and support.

* * *

She shouldn't be here.

That's the only conscious thought that occurs to her as she looks up at the stone wall. Anna holds her old doll tighter to her chest and lifts her chin higher, as if that'll let her see beyond the wall. She glances back over her shoulder to the castle; far, far away across the courtyard.

It's a great distance. At least she _thinks _it is. It took her a few minutes to make the trek and she's a good runner, if a little awkward because she had kept pausing to make sure no one was watching. Anna fell once or twice while she was running across the courtyard and her knees still sting. But for once there's no one around patrolling the courtyards. This might be her only chance for a good while.

Anna turns to look at the tree and eyes its branches. It's the tallest one in the courtyard. She's spent days looking at all the trees on this side of the garden, measuring the height of their trunks and length of their branches in her head. This one's branches edge the closest to the stone wall. She hugs Abbie close to her chest and nuzzles the top of her doll's scraggly braid. Walking to the bottom of the tree, Anna steps over its roots and tilts her head back to gaze at the towering trunk.

She's going to climb it today.

There's no one watching her—not that there usually is besides Kai and even then, Anna always manages to sneak away; although it isn't hard. He and the rest of the tiny staff are always busy.

Placing Abbie safely at the bottom of the tree, among its roots, she looks back across the courtyard to make sure that, once again, no one is watching her.

It's empty.

Huffing, she turns back to the tree and places both palms on its trunk. Anna looks along the bark to check where the grooves in the trunk are, the spots where she knows it'll be safe to place her feet on. Then, nodding to herself once, she grabs the tree's sides and hauls herself up. Her biceps flex with the effort it takes to climb and Anna sets her face determinedly as her bare feet dig into the bark. It's hard to wrap her legs around the trunk to wriggle herself up, so she relies on her arms to haul herself higher. Her palms hurt where the bark digs into the skin and she thinks that maybe she should've worn trousers so that her knees wouldn't get scraped, but she likes her dress.

Halfway up the trunk and Anna's breath is coming in short puffs so she grips at a point where the bark rises far out. She hangs there for several seconds, taking in big gulps of air. Her fingers dig deep into the bark and her feet scramble to find purchase—a groove or indentation, something to push herself upward.

It's probably no more than five to eight minutes when she reaches the first set of branches, but it feels like an hour when her hand finally grabs the nearest branch. Triumph swells up in her chest as she scuffles onto the branch, legs flailing momentarily in the air. Panting, she settles belly-down onto it and glances down at the ground.

That's a mistake because she gets instantly dizzy when she spots Abbie all the way down nestled in the roots.

Gulping, Anna turns back to the wall. That's her goal. That's why she's here. She wants to see what's on the other side.

Trying hard not to tremble, she continues her ascent. The branch is wide enough where she can shakily rise up to grab at the ones above it. She goes one by one, grabbing at the parts where the branches seem thickest, too nervous to reach for the parts that are thinner, even when they're closer.

It's another several minutes before she reaches the branch that stretches farthest, the one closest to the wall. She sucks in a breath. She's almost to the top. She's almost there. She can't wait to see the other side.

Scrambling along the branch, Anna feels it buckle under her weight. She freezes, hands wrapping around it as it waves up and down. No, no. She has to keep going. She's almost there.

Swallowing hard, Anna crawls almost to the edge. The wall is just a foot or two away. If she leans forward she can grab the edge. Shaking from head to toe, her arms reach out. Her fingers brush the concrete and her face lights up. So close! She just needs to lean a little more, a little farther out and she can—

A cold rush of air brushes over her neck.

"Anna!"

The cry is so unfamiliar, she loses her grip. The world spins around her as the branch gives way and she tumbles down. Leaves smack her in the face and sticks scrape her skin. Anna tries to grab _anything_ as she falls.

She lands on one of the lowest branches, pelvis meeting it harshly. The surge of pain makes spots dance in her eyes and all she can do is cry out hoarsely before she slips off that too and her side meets the ground.

Anna lays there, curling up on her side and bringing her hands down to tenderly grasp her crotch. Pain flares from even _that _tiny action and she whimpers, eyes wide and unseeing.

Vaguely, she hears footsteps hurry across the garden before arms encircle around her, fingers frantically brushing aside her hair.

"Anna! Anna, oh god, darling are you alright?" Her mother lifts her into her arms, cradling her to her chest. The touch is so unexpected that Anna just blinks into wide, blue eyes, mouth slack. Fingers brush her right temple and fear flashes in her mother's eyes. "Does it hurt? Where does it hurt?"

Anna stiffens and chokes, curling into a ball. "I-I'm fine Mama. I just hit the branch on the way down," she wheezes. Understanding flashes across her mother's face and Anna smiles shakily, hands cupping her crotch more tightly. _I was just surprised is all. _Instead, she says, "I'll be more careful next time."

Her mother blinks and glances up at the tree. Something wistful clouds her vision and she scoops Anna up, easily cradling the preadolescent with surprisingly strong arms before turning around and walking to the garden's entrance.

"I'll have Kai get some ice for you."

Anna blinks and her stomach sinks. She shifts and discreetly glances over her mother's shoulder. The wall shrinks in her sight.

_I was almost there._

Something catches her attention.

Anna blinks, narrowing her teal eyes as something white glimmers in the sunlight.

_A snowflake?_

Her mother shifts her in her arms and Anna finds her vision enveloped by purple fabric before she can fully contemplate what she just witnessed.

* * *

"Hey, you awake?"

It's the thunder of Sven's hooves that pulls her out of it.

Anna blinks, bleary and foggy of mind. _Where am I? Mama? _An ache burns along the back of her neck and shoulders and she feels a chill seeping in despite her cloak. Her cloak? Her cloak is pulled away from her lap, half-slung over her side and shoulder, exposing her waist and legs. _Oh no. _Jolting up, she swiftly pulls the edges back over her, stuffing her nose into the collar of the hood as a nervous flash runs through her.

Kristoff jumps away from her, eyebrows raising at her sudden movements. "Woah there, calm down."

"I-I was cold," she mumbles into the fabric, ignoring that the way he speaks to her is close to how she would often speak to Njord whenever he was spooked.

Kristoff grunts and turns to look forward again, shifting the reins in his hands, "Well, bundle up. The closer we get to the North Mountain the colder it's gonna get."

_Closer to the mountain! Closer to Elsa!_

She nods fervently, wrapping her arms around herself and looking straight ahead.

"So tell me," Kristoff starts and she glances sideways at him. "What made the Queen go all ice-crazy?"

Anna grits her teeth and glares at him. "Don't talk about my sister like that," she hisses.

His eyebrow is up in the air again and he leans back, likely startled from her sudden ferocity. "Alright, sorry. Wow, didn't mean anything by it."

Anna settles back, a cloud of anger replacing her sleepiness. "Everyone keeps acting as if Elsa is something to be feared," she grumbles. Then, her anger melts away and she slumps in her seat, a bitter smile crossing her features. "The winter is my fault anyway." Her stomach tightens and her chest aches painfully. "I—"

Anna stops in her tracks, eyes widening. How _did _one go about explaining subtly incestous and convoluted feelings? She sits back, twisting her hands and mumbling, "I-I got mad at her. I was sick of—"

Of _what?_

_Everything._

Anna blinks, tears swarming her vision. "I was sick of her hiding from me." Her heart beats painfully when she recalls the tears in her sister's eyes. "I-I didn't understand why the gates were closed for so long." _But oh god, do I now. _"And I got angry with her. Started screaming and s-she—" her throat clogs up and out of the corner of her eye she sees Kristoff frown, "—she got scared. And stressed. I grabbed her glove and then there was _ice _everywhere. She ran and the fjord has been freezing over ever since."

Anna jumps when a large hand pats her shoulder.

"Hey, calm down. It's okay," Kristoff rubs her shoulder, trying to reassure her.

"No, you don't understand!" Anna shakes his hand off. "All this time I didn't understand how much she-…how much she was trying to keep everything together. E-Everyday she was probably trying so hard to… To just…stay calm… Keep it together." Something in her rises up, festering in her stomach and boiling over. "I always thought she wore gloves because she had a thing about dirt! Dirt! Of all the stupid things to think of, that's what I thought!"

Kristoff shrugs, settling back in his seat. "Well, how were you supposed to know? From the sounds of it, doesn't seem like anyone bothered telling you."

The comment hits her straight in the heart.

Anna slumps back, blinking rapidly. Words tumble out of her throat. "I-I think my parents had a good reason to keep the truth from me."

He snorts, staring straight ahead. "Can't always trust people so blindly."

Her jaw is slack. "They were my parents. _Our _parents. They loved us..."

"Doesn't really sound like love to me," Kristoff says and his voice isn't cruel or hurtful. He sounds honest, hard in tone.

Anna feels her anger spike again. "Are you some kind of love expert?"

Kristoff glances at her sideways and he looks sheepish for the first time. "No, but I've got friends who are."

Anna opens her mouth to challenge him when something splits the air. A chill runs through her bones at the lonely, hungry cry. Kristoff turns sharply, tugging on the reins. Anna sees Sven start to shake. She twists in her seat as Kristoff grabs the lantern and begins to look around.

Unfamiliar, golden eyes glint in the darkness.

"What are they?" she whispers. Again, she's aware that this is her first time outside the gates.

The growling that reverberates through each creature makes her skin crawl.

"Wolves," Kristoff hisses, turning sharply and grabbing the reins. "Run Sven!"

Anna grabs the sled as the reindeer takes off faster than lightning. She looks over her shoulder as the beasts give chase, their pelts like silver shadows on the snow. There's an odd clacking sound that she doesn't recognize at all. Then everything in her grows cold when she realizes it's the sound of their snapping jaws. "Wolves? What do we do?!"

"I got this," Kristoff says, letting go of the reins to grab a torch and light it. The fire that springs forth from it illuminates several pairs of hungry golden eyes all around them. "Just don't fall off and don't _die_," he growls.

Anna frowns and sits up, gripping the sled tightly as they rush through the forest. The idea of the mountain man getting possibly hurt dealing with the wolves doesn't sit right with her. She listens to the sound of their paws thumping across the snow as they rush closer and closer, matching the sound of her heart beneath her breastbone. Sucking in a breath, she reaches over and tries to grab a torch. "I'll help!"

Only for Kristoff to drag her back and push his torch into her hand, snarling, "No."

"Why not?" she asks, feeling her anger flare hotly. In the corner of her eye, she sees something lunge at them from the snow.

Kristoff whirls around and kicks away the wolf just as it leaps at them with open jaws, its growl turning into a sharp cry that rings in her ears when it falls to the snow. "Do you even _know_ how to fight?"

Anna grits her teeth and grabs whatever she can get her hands on from the back of his sled. She brandishes the lute just as another wolf jumps towards Kristoff, screaming, "If it's for Elsa, I'll figure it out!"

The wolf yelps in pain as she hits it and regret flashes in Anna's stomach when she sees it tumble across the snow. Kristoff's shout breaks her from her trance and she turns her head sharply to see wolves pulling him from the sled, large jaws clamping down hard on his leg. He grabs at the sled, frantically kicking at the white beasts gnawing on his limb.

"Kristoff!" Anna rummages through the sled and grabs a pack. She lights it with the torch and slings it at the beasts. Kristoff yelps as he ducks away from the flaming object, glancing over his shoulder when the wolves scream and tumble away. There's the smell of burning fur and it makes Anna's gut twist and roll, bile rising in her throat. She rushes to the edge and holds out her hand to the mountain man as he clambers back towards her, heaving and panting.

"You almost set me on fire!" Kristoff growls, even as he accepts her hand back into the sled.

Anna huffs and grumbles as she pulls him back in, "But I didn't!"

Her stomach clenches as she thinks about how she's just set an animal on fire, the stench still strong in her nostrils.

Then, when she turns back to the front of the sled, her stomach drops. A dead end—an incoming cliff—looms closer and closer. "Oh, no." She sees Kristoff stare before she leans over, screaming at Sven. "Get ready to jump Sven!"

A hand grabs her shoulder and a sack is pushed into her chest before she's lifted, Kristoff saying, "_You_ don't tell him what to do! I do!" He tosses her and she yelps as she lands on Sven, scrambling to wrap her arms and legs around his moving body.

Anna turns around sharply, eyes wide. "Wait, but what about—"

"Jump Sven!" Kristoff yells just as he cuts the line.

For a heart-stopping moment, Anna feels the sense that she's falling instead of flying through the air. White floods her vision and she swears she hears someone screaming her name as she crashes into the snow.

"_Anna!"_

Pain flares in her skull.

"Anna!"

_Kristoff!_

Anna scrambles out of the snow, teal eyes searching for the tall mountain man. She remembers the sack he'd shoved at her then and rummages through it, heart roaring in her ears as she hears his distress from behind her. She grabs the pickaxe and rope from inside, running to loop the rope around Sven's neck quickly when she hears him call out her name again. Anna throws it to him just as he slips over the edge.

_No, no, no!_

"Pull Sven!" she orders, arms already tugging on the rope. The reindeer grunts and throws his weight forward and her hands burn beneath her mittens as she grips the rope hard, digging her feet into the ground as they pull Kristoff up.

Relief almost makes her want to vomit as it flows through her when the mountain groans and rolls onto his side, the danger clear at last. Anna skirts over to the edge of the cliff and stares down, biting her lip when she sees the remains of his sled burning away at the bottom of the chasm. Guilt creeps into her and she flushes as she looks down at Kristoff, edging closer to him as he covers his face with his hands.

"I-I'll replace your sled," she says hurriedly and he stares up at her with wide eyes before groaning and flopping back down. "And _everything_ in it," Anna adds.

There's a moment of silence as they both try to catch their breath, huffing and panting as the adrenaline finally begins to leave them. Anna continues hovering over the mountain man as he mutters under his breath. Then, she fumbles with her hands and mumbles, "And...I understand if you...don't want to help me anymore..."

Kristoff doesn't say anything right away, gloves still covering his eyes. Then, after a moment, he runs his hands over his face and mutters, "I lost _everything_."

The guilt in her cuts deeper and she fidgets in place, running her hands down her cloak. A thought suddenly sparks in her mind and Anna perks up, a tiny smile curling on her lips. Kristoff looks up at her curiously as she fumbles with her belt, producing the small bottle of oil from before. "Not everything! I've still got this!"

He stares at her through his gloves, brown eyes wide. After a pause, he chokes out in a disbelieving tone, "Are you a real person?"

Anna almost falls over herself at the comment.

"I'm real!" she splutters, an indignant flush coloring her cheeks. She's as real as her paintings are after all.

Kristoff doesn't reply, rolling over and burying his face in his hands again and sinking deeper into the snow. Anna sighs and walks over to him, placing the bottle by his head. "Keep it Kristoff. When I get Elsa back, I'll make sure to repay you ten times for your help."

He doesn't answer her and her stomach drops lower.

She bypasses Sven, patting him one last time and giving a small smile as he snorts softly and nudges at her hand with worried brown eyes. Anna ruffles him between the ears and turns to the forest in front of her to begin her trek up the mountain, muttering to herself. Just as she nears the edge of the trees and a sinking feeling swells in her stomach, she hears:

"Hold up! We're coming!"

Hope flares brightly in her chest.

"You are?" she gasps as she whirls around, watching Kristoff shuffle toward her. Her cheeks flush brightly and she tries to laugh off the relief swelling in her bosom. "I mean, sure, of course! I'll let you tag along."

Kristoff rolls his eyes at her and she gets the feeling that he doesn't buy her bluff, nudging her with his shoulder as he strides past her.

"And keep the damn bottle!" he adds grumpily, shoving it into her hand as he walks towards the trees.

Anna laughs and falls into step behind him as Sven trots towards her, stuffing his neck and head under her arm as he snorts noisily over her face. Anna grins and, for the first time since leaving the castle, feels a modicum of peace.

_Maybe everything will work out after all._

* * *

The snowfall has stopped. It hasn't actually snowed since the coronation night, but the buildings and roads are covered in frost.

"Cloak! Does anyone need a cloak?"

Hans turns around, brandishing the heavy fabric in the air. An elderly woman walks up to him, shivering. He leans down and smiles, gently taking the cloth and wrapping it around the woman's shoulders.

"Arendelle is indebted to you, your Highness," the elderly woman says, staring up at him with earnest, adoring eyes.

Hans makes sure his smile is sympathetic. He turns, directing his attention to the commoners shivering in the cold, cold air. "The castle is open!" he yells, making sure his voice is loud and clear. He passes out cloaks as he says, "There is soup and hot glog in the great hall!"

Every time a peasant looks up at him with trusting eyes, he makes sure his face is set into a caring frown, holding each hand that reaches towards him for just a second longer.

_Yes, trust me._

It's difficult to keep his smile in check.

Hans turns to a guard and hands him the rest of the cloaks. "Here, pass these out."

A voice shouts his name and he turns to see the small dignitary from before marching towards him, face set into a livid glare. Hans's lips twitch.

The Duke of Weselton furiously runs his arms up and down his sides, growling and gesturing. "Are we expected to just sit here and freeze while you give away all of Arendelle's tradeable goods?!"

Hans's smiles vanishes and he straightens to his full height. He refrains from smirking when the Duke leans back slightly, eyes narrowing in suspicion.

"Princess Anna has given her orders," he begins, fighting every urge to look down his nose at the small man. "She explicitly told me to care for the citizens until she returns with the Queen to—"

"And that's another thing!" the Duke interrupts, flailing his arms. "Has it dawned on you that your _princess_," he spits, "might be conspiring with a wicked _sorceress—_"

For a brief second, Hans wonders if he's not the only one that's noticed something amiss between the princess and the Queen. Then, he stares more closely into the Duke's eyes and tries not to laugh at the rage and disgust in them.

_No, he's just a fool scared by magic._

"—to destroy us all!" the Duke shouts.

"Do _not_ question the princess," Hans growls, pointing his finger directly into the man's face. "She left _me_ in charge," he says, taking delight in hanging his position over the other man. "And I will not hesitate to protect Arendelle from treason!"

Several commoners glance over at the commotion and Hans tries not to smile.

_Let them __**all **__hear who is the hero here._

The Duke splutters, face growing red. "W-w-what? Treason?!"

Hans straightens and makes sure his voice is loud and clear. He tilts his body, just enough to have everyone within the vicinity look at him. "As the princess's _designated _choice in courtship, I will do all I can to make sure the kingdom and its people are cared for."

_And I will do __**whatever **__it takes to see that crown upon my head._

The sound of a horse whinnying in fright breaks the atmosphere. Hans turns to see a white gelding race forward from the entrance of the city—_riderless. _

He takes action immediately, rushing to placate the rearing creature. "Woah, woah, boy, easy." Hans grabs the reins and lowers his voice into a soft, gentle timbre. "Easy."

He feels eyes on him and smirks briefly.

"It's the princess's horse!" a guard cries out.

"But where's the princess?" a woman bemoans, staring in fright at the horse.

The rest of the citizens begin to cry and chatter, huddling like rats in a sewer.

"Where could she be?"

"The weather is getting colder! There's no telling when it will snow again!"

"She could freeze to death!"

Hans sees his chance. He turns back to the crowd, face morphing into a determined expression. "Princess Anna is in danger!" He lifts his hand, addressing the crowd. "I need volunteers to go with me to find her!"

There's a collective cry from the crowd, several guards and a few peasants pushing forward to volunteer. He sees the Duke straighten.

"I volunteer two men my lord!" the short man yells.

Hans tries not to grin, eyes flashing when he sees the Duke lean just slightly and whisper to his guards. "Very well! Everyone, please arm yourselves and we will search for the princess!"

And maybe, just _maybe_, he could kill two birds with one stone.

* * *

The barrier looks like something out of one of her fairy tales. It's not a wall, but an ensemble of...spikes? She isn't sure what to call it. Upon closer inspection however, she can see that it's made completely of _ice_. The barrier rises above their heads, jagged edges pointing skyward and every which way. The shards vary in size, from being as thin and long as her arm to as thick and tall as Kristoff. It seems almost coral-like in appearance, reminding her of the oceans and underwater scenery she's seen in her pictures and books. They also—she notices with growing dismay—block their path. There isn't a detour in sight.

_This is Elsa's doing, isn't it?_

Anna steps back, eyes widening. She tracks the spikes' path into the air and bites her lip, tilting her head and squinting her eyes at the top.

"Now what?" Kristoff asks, crossing his arms and glaring.

Anna glances at him, blinking. "Yeah, now what…" she mumbles. _Wait._ The princess jumps, hands flying to her face. "W-wait, now what? What do we do? We can't stop here!" She points to the jagged peaks, staring worriedly at Kristoff. "But how do we get across? It doesn't look like there's a path through! So we're stuck here. But we can't just stop. Arendelle's completely frozen and then there's your ice business and—"

"Hey, hey!" Kristoff grabs her wayward hands—she tries not to start at the action and succeeds somehow. Concern flickers in Kristoff's brown eyes for the first time. "We'll figure something out, I'm sure." He purses his lips and steps back, releasing her hands. "And don't worry about my ice business right now. We've got bigger things to take care of first."

"Right, right," Anna says, nodding quickly. She pushes aside the worry and tries to think of a plan, running her mittens down her cloak. She looks back at the icy barrier, brow furrowing. Now that she's calmer, she can see tiny spaces to the other side. The thing doesn't block their view entirely. She's grateful for that. _Maybe there's a hole I can—_

A hand tugs on her cloak. Anna glances down at Olaf.

"Elsa's this way," the animated snowman says, taking a fistful of her cloak and dragging her—or at least attempting to drag her, given their varying sizes—to the left of the barrier.

"How do you know?" Anna blinks, entwining her hand with his and following along.

"There's a path right over here," he chirps, bouncing along the cliff's edge.

Kristoff humphs behind her before calling Sven over and trailing behind her silently. She glances over her shoulder at him and grins crookedly.

"Thank goodness!" she says, eyes lighting up. _If he saw a path, then maybe Elsa is waiting for me. Wherever she is._

Her stomach tightens however, when she notices that Kristoff doesn't look convinced.

* * *

Olaf leads them down and then up a small trail along the mountain's edge. The four of them have to follow each other in a close, tight-knit line. She keeps her eyes focused on the top of Olaf's head. She doesn't dare look down. She's learned by now that looking down when she's so high up only makes the fear grab ahold of her stomach and she's come too far now to let that fear take place.

A glance over her shoulder now and again however, makes her grow more and more worried. Kristoff keeps stopping every few paces to make sure Sven doesn't fall. The poor reindeer looks the most timid she's ever seen him, lingering several seconds before placing one hoof in front of the rest, step by step.

_Are we there yet? Poor Sven looks so scared._

"I found it!"

Olaf's happy cry makes her halt. Anna flails her arms as she bumps into his short body and dangles over the edge.

"Woah," Kristoff says, grabbing her shoulder to steady her. He looks down at Olaf and frowns. "Don't stop so suddenly. You almost made Anna fall."

"I'm okay," Anna quips, gently pushing his hand off her shoulder. She throws him a reassuring grin and strokes Olaf's head when he looks up at her apologetically. "I'm fine," she assures her new little friend.

To her and Kristoff's relief, the tiny path ends with them closer to the top of the North Mountain. Rocks jut out on an even plane, their sides encrusted with icicles. Anna exhales, a grin slowly curling on her face.

And then she sees that there's another barrier down the path.

"Great," Kristoff grunts, stopping beside her. "Looks like the closer we get to the top, the more obstacles we find. Your sister sure is practical." He turns to her, quirking an eyebrow. "So what _is_ your plan to stop this winter?"

Anna snorts and bends down to take Olaf's hand. He beams up at her, undeterred by the sight of another barrier.

"What's it look like?" she asks, beginning to tread down the path. It's much wider than the tiny edge they had been walking along. "I'm going to talk to my sister."

He splutters behind her, hurrying to catch up. "Wait, _that's _your plan?"

Anna nods, stopping in front of the second wall of ice. It's smaller than the first one, shorter in height and thinner in volume.

"My ice business is riding on you talking to your sister?!" Kristoff asks, eyes widening in shock.

Anna blinks up at him, shrugging. "You have a better one?"

He stares at her. "What are you even going to say to her?"

"'Sorry,'" she says, _for everything_. She turns back to the barrier and begins to prod at it. Maybe she can—

"So you're not at all afraid of her?"

Kristoff's genuine surprise makes her look back at him. He's still staring at her, but his expression is different now. He's eyeing her with a mixture of concern, disbelief, and...expectancy?

It makes something in her coil tightly and she tightens her jaw.

_Really, this again. What's so scary about Elsa? Nothing._

"Why would I be?"

Then, she leaps upon the spikes and grabs at one of them. Her feet dangle in the air, trying to find places to grip. Hanging there, she gets a sense of déjà vu and, for some reason, thinks about how it's different than climbing a tree. Everything's slippery. It makes her scramble all over the place.

"You can't climb," Kristoff says, unamused.

"Says who," Anna spits back, chest straining for breath. The air feels thinner and her arms already struggle to keep herself upright. But she's come this far and she's so close. She isn't going to let this barrier deter her from Elsa.

"Look," Kristoff begins, still standing at the bottom. "Maybe we should go about this a different way."

"Well, we're near the top already," Anna growls, trying to grab a small spire to her right. Her foot slips and she spends a second flailing her legs before she rights herself. Somewhat.

"You know, most people who disappear into the mountains want to be _alone_," he stresses.

Anna grits her teeth, hauling herself up another inch. "_Nobody_ wants to be alone."

_Especially not if they're __**forced **__to be._

She's tired of so many empty rooms.

"Except maybe you," she grumbles, glaring at a jutting edge above her head. "You seem quite happy up here."

He laughs and she imagines him rolling his eyes. "I'm not alone, I've got friends remember?"

She rolls her eyes, fingers reaching for the edge. "Right, the love experts."

"Besides!" Kristoff interrupts. "How do you know Elsa even _wants _to see you?"

The question nearly makes her lose her grip. There's a sharp intake of breath and then she finds herself staring at a particular crack in the ice. Her eyes hone in on it and she thinks back to all the times she's waited outside her sister's door.

"_Go away Anna."_

Her heart clenches painfully.

"_Stay away from me."_

Anna grits her teeth, jaw clenching until she hears a bone pop in it.

_**No. **__Not this time. _

"I'm—" she grunts, grabbing the edge above her head and tugging herself up, "going to see," she stops for breath, "my _sister_."

There's silence below her. Then:

"You're gonna kill yourself," Kristoff states bluntly.

She glances over her shoulder and glares at him. But before she can retort, Olaf reappears. She hadn't even noticed he was gone.

"Hey guys! Not sure if this is going to solve the problem," the tiny snowman says, bouncing next to Kristoff. "But I found a path that leads to where we're going!"

Anna beams, the frustration melting away. "That's great Olaf! Where is—"

"It's going to be a squeeze though and we might have to split up."

She and Kristoff blink at each other.

"Wait, what?"

* * *

The path is more like ducking under a few open spots in the icy barrier. They can barely fit through. Kristoff tells Sven to wait in front of it.

Anna pushes her shoulders past a few spikes pointing at her torso and huffs. She glances to the side and tries to spot Kristoff through the spires and points blocking her view. He's struggling to fit, turning on his side and sliding in from where he'd come from. For once, she's glad of her build. She's slimmed out in years and though her chest has remained somewhat small, it means that she can squeeze through where his larger stature prevents him from doing so.

"You alright?' she calls, stepping over a crystal.

"I'm fine!" he grunts and his head disappears behind an icy layer. "Just keep going, I'll meet you there."

"Okay," Anna says, frowning. She hopes nothing happens to him. Turning her head to look over her shoulder, she grabs the twiggy hand curled on her cloak. "Come on Olaf, let's go."

Olaf blinks up at her and she finds that his eyes are suddenly intense. They're the darkest she's seen of them since meeting him in that little clearing by the frozen lake. He grips her hand tightly.

"I'm right beside you Anna."

Anna falters, staring. It sounds different. Shaking her head from the fog that clouds her, she tugs him forward and continues on. It doesn't take long, unlike the days and nights they've spent traveling from Oaken's. They're so close now, that she _feels _a strange hum in the air. The farther she walks through the coral-like ice, the colder everything becomes. Her teeth chatter and she clutches Olaf's hand tightly.

The only thing that keeps her going is the very real sense that she knows how close to _Elsa_ she is now.

_And then we can go home. And everything will be better now that everyone knows about Elsa's powers. She'll thaw the winter and we'll all be happy._

A flicker catches her eye.

Anna blinks, ducking down underneath a twisting spike and pauses, wisps of white rising from her lips. She can see an _exit_. But that's not what makes her halt.

All the ice in front of her glimmers. It's like the forest clearing where they found Olaf, but instead of winter white and the vibrant blue she's seen on the ice leading up to the North Mountain, the rest of the way is glittering in hues of pink and purple. It's faint, but the patches of color coalesce with the blue she's seen the whole way and the sight makes her breath catch.

"I never knew winter could be so beautiful," Anna whispers. A tingle travels down her spine when she feels a tug on her hand.

Olaf grins at her, "Come on Anna. Let's go bring back summer."

Anna returns his smile with equal force. _And Elsa._

They hurry down the path.

Anna can feel her heartbeat race, excitement beginning to escalate in her blood.

_I'm so close! Wait for me Elsa. I'll be there soon and you won't be alone anymore._

They rush down the tunnel, ducking under spikes, jumping over rocks, or squeezing between jagged icicles. The hole takes more effort, but in a minute she stumbles out and looks up to see the skyline.

Only for her heart to freeze.

Anna stares, eyes widening in shock. Her breath stops somewhere between her throat and her sternum. Olaf gently places a hand on her leg to steady her, squeezing her other hand in his grip.

The towering castle glitters. Like the very edge of the path behind her, its blue walls shine with a mix of pink and purple. It's beautiful. Gorgeous. All the paintings she's seen in her life can't compare to the symmetry and strength the palace posseses. Everything points upwards proudly to the sky and her knees tremble at the sight of an elegant staircase leading up to a door.

A door.

Of course it's a door.

More and more, she's becoming certain that she's stepped into some type of fairytale. That can be the only explanation.

_Is this the part where the prince finds the princess locked up in a tower? Guarded by a fire-breathing dragon?_

Anna frowns and shakes her head, hardening her resolve. This isn't a fairy tale. The winter encompassing Arendelle is very real. And she's no _prince._ She's a princess searching for her sister, the Queen she must return.

She glances down at Olaf, who's been watching her curiously.

"Did Elsa build this?" she asks, brow furrowing.

He beams and nods eagerly. "I think so."

"Okay," Anna says and begins to head towards the staircase.

The door looms before her. It's larger than any door—save the gates of Arendelle—she's ever seen. It's _stronger_ too, made completely from ice. The cold radiating off it makes her breath catch and her footsteps seem to echo louder against the staircase as she climbs it. The very _sight _of it growing closer makes her stomach twist and turn. Her arm—the one Olaf is gently holding—shakes. Her pulse quickens and this time it isn't because she's looking forward to seeing Elsa again.

Too many times the door has not opened for her.

_"How do you know Elsa even wants to see you?"_

Anna halts in front of it, inhaling sharply. Her teal eyes widen and her knees tremble.

_What if he's right?_

Her hand, instinctively, lets go of Olaf's. She balls it into a fist and raises it.

_Elsa told me to stay away. She didn't wait for me no matter how many times I begged. What if Elsa __**doesn't **__want to see me? What if she's sick of Arendelle? Sick of __**me? **__She never told me about her powers. Not once. What if she never wanted me to know? Ever. What if—_

Elsa's face flashes through her mind. The faint hint of tears in her eyes as she stood at the fjord's edge. The way she had curled protectively in on herself.

The _fear _in her eyes.

_No._

Anna inhales, letting the breath pass down her throat and settle in her lungs. The quivering mass of nerves under her skin slows—settles. Her heart beats in her ears. She counts; one, two, three.

And raps her knuckles against the final door.

_Knock-kno-knock._

Her heart thuds in her ears as the seconds pass by.

"Please," Anna whispers, eyes boring holes into the ice.

_Just let me in._

A harsh groaning fills the air and she watches, mouth dropping, as the door opens.

The ice slides across the floor and her fist drops as she takes in the sight of an entire beautifully crafted palace before her. A fountain—frozen droplets of water glittering in the sunlight—sits in the middle and a winding staircase leads upwards and beyond. She doesn't see Elsa at all, but for right now, she's content to know that the door has _opened._

_It actually opened!_

That's a first for her.

Anna swallows and steps forward when—

"Let's go!" Olaf chirps, bounding into the castle.

She splutters, hurrying to grab his hand. "Olaf, wait!" He stops and stares up at her, tilting his head. "Um—"

Her heartbeat is racing again. She isn't certain how to tell him that she wishes to speak with Elsa alone. A tremor runs through her. She ignores every implication about the idea.

_I just want us to be able to speak to each other for once. Without any distractions. Without anyone else around. Just us. Face to face._

Heat curls in her stomach and warmth pumps in her heart. She pushes down the urge.

"Can you," Anna begins, biting her lip. A faint blush spreads over her cheeks. "Can you give us a minute?" Olaf drops his shoulders and she winces at the hurt that flashes in his black eyes. "Please," she stresses, eyes pleading with his. "I need to speak with Elsa alone."

There's a pause and then he smiles at her, brightening. "Okay," he says, squeezing her hand. "I'll wait outside for Sven!"

Anna grins, muscles loosening. She drops his hand and straightens. "Right, make sure Kristoff makes it out of that thing safely." She chuckles as he passes her, beginning to bounce down the steps. "He probably got stuck in there."

Olaf turns around to give her one final look. His entire expression is certain. Of what, she doesn't know.

"You can do it Anna. I'm sure nothing bad will happen. I bet Elsa's the nicest, gentlest, warmest person ever."

Something springs forth and tightens in her chest. The emotion washes over her body, large and shocking. Anna cups her hands to her chest, face reddening. Her pulse is quick again and she finds that words are difficult on her tongue.

"She is," is all she can say.

And then he's gone, skipping down the staircase.

The door closes behind him. The slam rings in her ears and she exhales, turning to look around. The place is empty. At least, that's the way it appears to her. She prays Elsa is actually _inside_ and not somewhere else.

"Elsa!" Anna calls, walking forward. Her shout echoes in the large, vacant room. "It's me, Anna!"

No answer.

She gulps and heads to the staircase. Perhaps her sister is higher up.

_A bit more climbing won't hurt. I've come this far and nothing's going to stop me from—_

She nearly slips on the ice, feet sliding out from under her. Anna squeaks, trying to find some semblance of balance.

_Was I always this clumsy on ice? _

She recalls her and Elsa skating on a lake before, but that was before the gates shut. Anna teeters towards the staircase, trying to grab a hold of the handrail. Her gloved hands nearly grace it when—

"Anna."

It's soft. Quieter than a shout, but louder than a simple spoken word. It passes over her like a wave, feather-light and creates goosebumps on her skin. Anna jerks her head up, eyes widening.

The sight before her takes her breath away.

Elsa steps out from behind a wall of ice, quiet and calm and whisper-shy. Her sister is garbed in a sequined dress that glitters and sparkles and shines as it catches light. A transparent cape flows and follows behind her like silk and water, like a silvery wing. She knows at this point it's likely made out of ice, but the detail and sway of the fabric still shocks her to the core. Elsa steps forward, hips swaying beneath the blue silk, and pauses at the top of the stairs. For a moment, there's confusion on her face, flickering in her beautiful blue eyes. But then, it's gone. Her hand curls delicately at her side and a tentative smile curls on her lips, eyes crinkling in sheer joy and a light blush on her cheeks.

_Oh. Oh, gosh..._

Anna's arms drop and she wonders how she's standing at all. Her heart thunders in her chest and she stares at her sister in all her glory. And glory is the only way that she can describe Elsa.

Elsa looks _different. _It isn't the change in dress. Though, as her eyes dip down and notice the swell of her breasts and the curve of her hips, _that_ definitely helps. But something about the way she carries herself, about the way she looks expectantly down at Anna sends a wave of feeling through her bones, making her limbs tremble. Her hair is no longer within its intricate bun. Instead, it's down in a braid, something Anna hasn't seen in many years. But unlike when they were children, it hangs over Elsa's shoulder and the rest of her hair is combed back—glimmering with several, tiny snowflakes, catching the light penetrating the Palace's walls.

Within the castle she's built herself, Elsa looks powerful.

Free.

_Happy._

A shock of heat runs through her so rapidly and so powerfully that she grabs the handrail, trying to steady herself. It flares in her stomach and runs down, making her toes tingle in their boots. Even the biting mountain air feels warmer now. Blood rushes southward and her eyes widen imperceptibly when she realizes why. The space between her legs pulses and she feels herself stirring and hardening beneath her skirts.

Anna inhales shakily and discreetly moves her cloak to cover her growing erection. _Now is __**not **__the time. Calm down body._

She pushes all other thoughts aside and stares at Elsa, allowing a little bit of the wonder she feels to spill into her voice.

"Woah, Elsa, you look," she stops, uncertain how best to describe how beautiful her sister appears. It's different than how she had looked at the coronation, garbed in dark clothes and skin concealed. Elsa blinks down at her and the tentative smile on her face only grows; as if she's pleased with Anna's fumbling reaction. Anna swallows and forces out, "Different."

Then, before she can stop herself:

"I-it's a good different," Anna stammers, heart beating in her chest.

She isn't sure if she wants to die from humiliation, shame, or simple embarrassment, but it's one of the three. Or all of the three. Anna blushes darkly and stutters, turning to look up at the ceiling where the image of fractals spreading everywhere is at.

"A-and this place is amazing. How did—"

"Thank you."

Elsa's voice interrupts her and she quivers at how soft it is, gentle in its timbre. It only makes the heat surging through her veins and down to her pelvis even harsher. Anna looks back up at her sister, gulping thickly. Elsa takes one step forward before she brings her hands towards her chest. She looks as if she wants to move closer, but the confidence is gone from her eyes.

_Oh. _

The princess jumps forward, climbing up the steps towards her Queen, heart thundering and excitement—unparalleled _joy— _erupting inside her. Words are spilling from her now, the relief at seeing Elsa—at seeing her sister unharmed—banishing all doubt.

"I'm so sorry about what happened," Anna says, stumbling over the steps. "About everything! About screaming at you, pushing you that night. If I had known, I wouldn't have—"

"Anna, wait, stop," Elsa says, hands stretching out as if to stop her.

Anna halts on the staircase midways, eyes widening in surprise. _Am I still not allowed? Does she not want me closer? Oh no, did she notice my—_

"You don't have to apologize," Elsa says softly, cupping her hands together. She glances to the side, brow furrowing. A look of regret flashes across her face. Anna frowns, biting her lip in worry and confusion. Her sister sighs, wringing her hands. "But you should probably go."

"Go?" Anna blinks, hand slipping off the rail. She gestures to herself, eyebrows rising to her hairline. "But I just got here. And why would I leave you when—"

Elsa glances back at her, pain more clear in her eyes than it has ever been. Anna clamps her mouth shut, inhaling sharply.

"You belong down in Arendelle," her sister whispers.

Anna frowns, bringing her hands together because she needs something to hold onto. To keep the fire burning under her chest at bay. "So do _you_," she says, staring at her sister fiercely. "Elsa, you're Arendelle's _Queen_. You have to come back and besides I—"

What can she say? She trails off, finding the answers aren't really there. She can't express how much she wants Elsa to return, how much she wants things to be alright between them. Now that everyone knows about her sister's powers, surely they can live happily again.

She's certain that she could convince everyone that Elsa is no monster, that she is not someone the people of Arendelle should fear, but rather love.

Elsa could be loved by them, she's certain of it, for she's the one that loves Elsa most of all.

And loving Elsa had always been like breathing air.

They could be happy again.

_But then what of my feelings. What of Elsa's?_

Before she can fully dwell on the situation, Elsa shakes her head, stepping away from the top of the stairs and placing her hands on the balcony that overlooks her Palace. The look of resignation makes Anna's stomach drop.

"No, Anna," Elsa murmurs, gazing down at her with the deepest regret Anna has ever seen on her sister's face. "I belong _here_." She gestures around them and Anna follows her direction, staring at the glittering, cold castle. "Where I can be who I am," Elsa sighs and stares at her. Anna feels as if the floor is going to swallow her whole. "Without hurting anybody," she says and the tone in her voice encompasses Anna's heart like a melancholic melody.

Anna blinks, lowering her hands. She swallows, throat bobbing up and down. Right now, she wants nothing more than to gather Elsa up in her arms, hold her, and tell her she would never hurt anyone. That she isn't a monster. That her powers are _wonderful. _That she isn't alone and that everything is going to be alright.

And it's exactly what she does.

Anna jumps the last few steps, striding with purpose towards her sister. Elsa looks up, eyes widening in surprise, but before she can protest, the princess is already drawing her in. Her sister gasps, stiffening in her embrace. Anna cups the back of her head and wraps her other arm around Elsa's waist, burying her nose in white-gold hair. She inhales, shuddering at the feel of the cold body in front of her. And now she knows _why _Elsa is cold. _Why _Elsa has hidden herself away for so long.

"Elsa, you could never hurt anyone," Anna whispers, closing her eyes and leaning her cheek against the smooth one beside her. She hears a sharp intake of breath, fingers digging into her arms. "Did you know? Before we made it up to the mountain, Kristoff and I met Olaf."

"Kris—" Elsa draws back from her, eyes wide. "Who's—wait," her sister frowns, fingers twitching. "Olaf?" she asks and Anna can hear the deep sense of familiarity in her voice. The very kind she had felt when the tiny snowman had first introduced himself.

She nods, beaming. "He's just like the one we built as kids." Emotion wells in her chest and she blinks back tears. Anna tightens her grip on Elsa's form. "Oh Elsa, we were so _close." _She leans in, as much as she dares. Which is just an inch when she sees Elsa stiffen again, blue eyes flickering with an indescrible emotion. "We can be like that again," Anna whispers.

_No more doors. No more gates. I'd even purge myself of these feelings if that's what it took._

Elsa shivers and Anna runs her thumb soothingly into her sister's lower back. She sees something flash in her sister's eyes and wonders what it is. Elsa's grip loosens and—gently—Anna pulls her back in. There's another intake of breath and she sighs in delight at the feel of a chest expanding against her own. The proximity makes her aware of the space between her legs once more. She stiffens, gasping quietly when she feels blood flow downward again. She hadn't even gone soft and now, she's certain Elsa can feel her erection.

Elsa inhales sharply and Anna feels dread take a hold of her heart.

"No," her sister whimpers, shaking in her grasp.

Anna's stomach drops and she moves to let go, wondering if Elsa's referencing their—_or just mine?—_unspoken feelings when the Queen jerks back. Fear is evident on her face. Anna stares, hurt seizing her chest.

"Elsa," she begins.

But Elsa turns away sharply, arms curling around her torso. Her voice cracks as she cries out, "No, I'm just trying to protect you!"

_Protect me?_

Anna blinks, staring at her sister as Elsa disappears behind the wall of ice, grabbing at another staircase. She sucks in a breath and rushes after her.

"You don't have to protect me. I'm not afraid!" Anna shouts. Her heart jumps in her throat when she sees Elsa's cape disappearing. Fear—_ironically—_grips her chest and she begins to ascend. "Please don't shut me out again!"

Their footsteps echo in the Palace as she gives chase.

"Elsa! All this time, that's why you hid in your room isn't it? I don't know why you had to hide at all, but that was why! Wasn't it? Why you wouldn't let me in?" Anna nearly slips on a step before catching herself. She sees the edges of Elsa's cape as they near the highest floor. It drives her resolve. "It was because of your powers wasn't it?! You were afraid of hurting me, but you won't Elsa! You _won't_. You're the kindest person I know and—"

Elsa whirls around when she reaches the next floor and she stops abruptly in her tracks, staring. Her sister looks torn, tears glimmering at the corner of her eyes.

"I _did _hurt you!" she screams, burying her hands in her hair. "It's because I hurt you that everything changed!" To Anna's shock, a flurry begins to swirl around her sister's feet. "I couldn't be close to you! I couldn't risk—!" Elsa inhales sharply and Anna stretches a hand towards her, fingertips trembling. "Mama and Papa—"

A sudden throbbing in her right temple flares. Anna stiffens, white flashing in her vision.

"We- _I _couldn't risk hurting you again," Elsa says and she trembles, pain in her blue eyes. "And then to have these _feelings _for you. When I shouldn't even be near you!" Elsa sobs and crumples to the floor. The flurry dissipates as soon as it came. Her sister whimpers, burying her face in her hands and her whole body trembles. "Of all the things," she whimpers, shoulders shaking. "I would have lived happy, away from you."

It cuts to Anna's heart like a shard of ice. She steps back, tears springing to her own eyes. Rejection is bitter and acrid. It swims up her throat and settles on her tongue. She bites the inside of her cheek to refrain from crying.

"But I missed you so much," she whispers and her words melt the ice stuck in Anna's heart. "It's selfish and stupid and horrible of me," Elsa's sobs, face still concealed. "But what I want most is to be _with _you."

In every sense of the word.

The unspoken meaning hangs in the air, like a slowly fluttering, fragile snowflake. Resolve, like fire and steel, grips her. A storm explodes in her chest and she hardens her jaw, hands clenching into fists. She strides forward with purpose to Elsa, unwilling to let anything deter her in this moment.

Elsa doesn't look up, still crying into her hands. Anna kneels down in front of her, cloak fluttering with her sudden movement. She reaches forward and gently brushes her hands against her sister's face. Elsa jerks her head up and stares at her, blue eyes clashing with teal. Anna returns the look, jaw set.

In her Palace, she sees all of Elsa.

And that realization, the storm brewing in her sister's eyes, in her own heart, gives her courage.

Anna cups Elsa's face, ignoring the choked cry she receives in response. "Elsa," she begins, "we _can_ be like that again. We can be as close as we were when we were kids. We can convince everyone in Arendelle that you're not a monster. They'll believe us, _trust _me. We can fix things hand in hand for once. We can head down this mountain _together_."

"How can you be so sure?" Elsa responds, voice cracking. She clutches Anna's hands on her face without knowing. "What of—"

"Shh," Anna quietly interrupts. She presses their foreheads together and hears Elsa gasp softly. All thoughts of the winter—of Arendelle, her own doubts—disappear. Right now, she concentrates on the sight before her. "You don't have to live in fear," she whispers and Elsa whimpers brokenly in her ears. "Because for the first time in forever, _I _will be right here."

Then, because something stronger than magic wills her to do so, she lays a soft, trembling kiss upon Elsa's forehead. Her sister inhales sharply—quietly—and stills. The silence that follows is like a snowfall in the winter. For some reason, her and Elsa, small and young, holding each other softly and gazing at the Olaf they had made so many years ago, comes back to her.

Anna shivers and shifts, pressing another kiss on her sister's brow. "You're okay Elsa," and the words sound strange coming from her, but she can't pinpoint why, "I've got you."

Elsa locks up, every bone and muscle growing taut. Anna can feel her thinking underneath her hands, can see the storm brewing relentlessly in her sister's eyes. She waits, drawing back just enough to watch every emotion flicker in those blue eyes she's come to love.

Fear. Shock. Confusion. Horror.

_Hope?_

Elsa twitches and slowly lifts her gaze from the floor to stare at her, lips moving, but sounds not coming. Anna pulls one of her hands back and brushes the back of her gloved knuckles against Elsa's cheek.

"I'm right here Elsa," she says softly.

Everything crumbles away like snow.

"Anna!"

Elsa throws her arms around her, sinking into her embrace. She sobs again, harder this time and Anna holds her just as strongly. The princess buries her face in her sister's hair, shutting her eyes. Elsa trembles violently, muttering incomprehensible words as she shakes her head against Anna's chest. Anna mutters back words of comfort, nuzzling her nose against the delicate strands of pale gold.

"I've missed you so much," Elsa cries, fingers digging into her cloak. Scrambling. Clinging. She knows her sister is trying to find purchase, some semblance of stability—_clarity._

Anna lets her, pressing kisses on her head, trailing them down to her cheeks, whispering. "I know that now. I've missed you so much too Elsa. But it's okay. We're together now."

_And I won't let anything tear us apart again._

Elsa whimpers and tightens her hold. Anna pulls back just a bit and even _that _makes Elsa clutch at her. She looks around, brow furrowing. The floor is cold and hard underneath them. Even with her cloak, it's horribly uncomfortable. And right now, she wants to find a place of comfort for her sister because that's precisely what Elsa needs. Her eyes flick everywhere, bypassing bits of ice on the floor before landing on something in the corner.

A bed.

She almost laughs at the coincidence.

Anna kisses her sister's temple again, stroking her head. She lets her lips and fingers linger for a moment before saying, "Let's get off the floor." Then, she slips her arms and hauls them both up, sliding one arm under Elsa's knees while the other wraps around her shoulders. Elsa gasps and clutches at her shoulders, her neck, before burying her face there and crying softly. "It's okay," Anna cooes, walking over to the bed's edge.

She places Elsa gently on the bed and, reluctantly, her sister lets go. Elsa sniffs, cheeks and eyes red. Anna kneels down in front of her and rubs her knees soothingly, flashing her a grin.

"I'm sorry," Elsa says, grabbing her hands and tightly squeezing. "I'm sorry for everything. For shutting you out."

Anna blinks. The broken words hit her straight in the heart and like a gate, something is unlocked. She stares at their intertwined hands, shock running down her spine at the sight. She thought she'd never see such a thing, but here she is, witnessing it all. She upturns her hands and clutches Elsa back tightly, swallowing a sudden lump in her throat.

"It hurt," Anna begins and hears Elsa whimper at her admission, "when you shut me out. When the doors all closed and Mama and Papa were no longer there, it hurt_._" She swallows, tears brimming the edges of her eyes. Elsa weeps above her, quieter now but no less stronger. Anna rubs her thumbs on her sister's hands, blinking back the scalding wetness. "And it hurt more," she continues, voice cracking, "when I started to feel about you the way I did." She lays her head down in Elsa's lap, shuts her eyes tightly, and hears Elsa gasp. "I thought I had done something to you I could never take back. So many years I thought I did something wrong." Her shoulders shake and she feels Elsa still in her grasp.

The shard of ice returns and she fights to keep her words straight, tears flowing down her cheeks.

"I thought you _hated _me," Anna whimpers. She almost laughs at herself for how bitter and self-pitying the statement seems, but the urge to cry—from a strange mixture of relief, pain, and freedom—is far more overwhelming.

"Anna—"

She shakes her head desperately, tightening her hands on Elsa's in a death grip. "But all this time, you were just trying to _protect _me." Clarity is the most wonderful thing in the world. Strength and bravery follow after. Anna snaps her head up, teal eyes burning into blue. "But Elsa, I won't let that happen anymore. You don't have to protect me. This time, I'll be with you every step of the way."

The fire in her voice melts the pain on Elsa's face.

The kiss is a fierce, burning touch. It shocks her to her core and makes the blood in her veins boil like an inferno. She gasps, mouth dropping open as Elsa cups her face and presses their lips together. Her sister is relentless, like an uncapped bottle of energy. She digs her hands in Anna's hair, tugging her face closer and Anna _moans _into the kiss.

Heat and blood race south. She stiffens, acutely aware that all this time, she's never gone soft. But if Elsa knows, she doesn't show it. The Queen tilts her head, pulling at her bottom lip and sucking on it gently. Even with the ferocity behind the action, her sister's lips are impossibly soft. It's dizzying. Anna scrambles to keep up, hands flying from her sister's lap, running over Elsa's shoulders, forearms, wherever she can reach.

"Elsa," she pants, tingles racing down her spine. The blood in her veins keeps pooling southward and she's never felt so hard in her life before. Her erection _throbs._ Anna tilts her head, pressing kiss after kiss against her sister's lips, muttering breathily, "Oh Elsa, I—!"

Elsa snaps back and Anna blinks, dazed by the sudden loss of contact. Their faces are flushed and she quivers at the heat in her sister's eyes.

"I'm sorry!" Elsa scrambles away from her, crawling back on the bed. Anna stares at her, mouth dropping open. "I don't know what came over me! I just felt like kissing you so much a-and—" she clamps her hands over her mouth, pale skin flaming red.

Anna jumps up, stumbling after her. She's determined not to let this chance disappear. She crawls onto the bed and Elsa stares at her like a caught deer.

"No, no, Elsa!"

She reaches forward, hand stretching out to touch Elsa's knee. The muscles tense underneath her fingertips, but to her delight, her sister doesn't flinch. Her eyes merely flick down to watch Anna's hand, fingers trembling. Anna rubs circles into the cold cloth, smiling reassuringly. She ignores the way her member strains against her underclothes when she strokes Elsa's leg. The barrier of her gloves and her sister's dress makes her fingers twitch. A desire to feel her sister's skin is insistent in her stomach, but she has more important things to take care of first. Anna presses her thumb into the flesh of Elsa's leg, keeping her words soft.

"Don't be sorry. Everything's okay." Elsa slowly relaxes under her soothing strokes and Anna beams wider, eyes lighting up. "You've done nothing wrong. I was just surprised is all." Elsa whimpers and Anna stiffens. She slows her hand, rubbing in impossibly light circles. "That's not bad," she whispers. Anna glances sideways and chuckles once, feeling heat creep up her neck. "I just never expected it to actually _happen, _you know?" Elsa's eyes widen slightly and Anna wonders what she's thinking of in that moment. She pauses, licking her lips and notices her sister's eyes dart down to watch the action. "I- well, it makes sense though, doesn't it?"

Elsa continues staring at her, still covering her mouth.

Anna blushes harder than ever and glances down at her hand on Elsa's leg. "Er, well, you _know_ about my feelings right?" She blinks up at her sister, eyes widening. "You knew all along right?"

The night from two years ago flashes through her mind. The storm battering at Arendelle's walls, the wind shaking her windows, Elsa's name on her lips. She shivers at the memory.

Elsa lets one of her hands drop and Anna's heart thunders in her ears as pale fingers wrap around her mitten.

"Y-yes I knew," her sister admits shyly, the red in her cheeks increasing tenfold. She bites her lip, fidgeting with their intertwined hands. Anna waits, feeling as if her chest is going to explode. Elsa takes a shuddering breath, muttering, "It was hard not to know after that...night. Remember?"

Anna swallows, pulse in her ears. She stares down at their fingers, shaking in her own boots. "How could I forget," she whispers, the hairs on the back of her neck rising. "I'm sorry," she says, hanging her head. Her age-old shame creeps back, burning across her skin and she averts her gaze when Elsa blinks at her.

"S-sorry? For what?" Elsa asks, voice hoarse.

"I shouldn't have been thinking of you like that," Anna mumbles, staring at the snowy-white bed sheets. The back of her eyes burn and she blinks several times, trying to keep voice from cracking. "I shouldn't have d-done _those _things while thinking of you. When so much was happening all at once a-and—" Anna hiccups, inhaling sharply, "—while y-you were probably suffering all alone, trying to keep a hold on your powers."

"Anna," Elsa squeezes her fingers, clutching her hand tightly, "no, oh no."

Fingers slide under her chin and cup it. Anna glances up, swallowing thickly. Elsa stares back at her, biting her lip. Her eyes are wet too. It makes Anna's chest ache from the sight.

"We were _both _alone." Elsa brings her hand to her chest, pressing it against her bosom. "We both lost Mama and Papa." She glances away and red blooms on her cheeks. "We both did things neither of us should have done that night."

Anna starts, squeezing her sister's fingers. Words tumble from her lips. "T-that's why you ran that night isn't it?"

"Huh?" Elsa snaps her gaze back to her, eyebrows raising.

"Your powers. Were they difficult to control that night?" She bites her lip, brow furrowing in thought. "I thought my room had just been left cold from the winter, but did—"

Elsa's wince stops her in her tracks and answers any questions she has left. Anna gulps, eyes widening. Her mouth forms a small 'o'-shape and she coughs.

"I-I had to leave before I l-lost complete control," Elsa stutters, letting go of Anna's chin to tug at her braid. This time it's her that avoids Anna's gaze as Anna leans in just a little bit closer, resuming her strokes on Elsa's knee. Elsa continues, her face quickly reddening and her words cracking. "W-when I saw you, doing _that—_" a shudder runs down Anna's spine at the way Elsa speaks "—I couldn't help myself. I couldn't leave the room without you knowing I was there, but I couldn't just stand there and watch." Elsa swallows and shivers. Anna finds that her own mouth is dry. "Even the gloves didn't help with my ice..." her sister whispers.

"I'm sorry," Anna squeaks. It's all she can think of saying with the way her heart is drumming in her chest, the sound echoing in her ears.

Elsa looks back at her, eyes wide. She clutches Anna's hand, holding it to her chest again. The rapid beat of her heart is evident under Anna's fingertips. "N-no, there's nothing to be sorry about." Elsa glances away again, the blush on her face darkening. "O-obviously, we feel the same way." There's a pause between them before Elsa exhales, tightening her grip on Anna's fingers until it's like steel. Then she lifts her gaze, staring directly at her. "Right?"

And here it is, the moment of truth. Anna doesn't hesitate. Not this time. The hope in Elsa's eyes is too bright to be denied. And she'll be damned if she lets herself deny this, after wanting it for so long and thinking she'd never be able to have it.

Frantically, she lifts Elsa's hand to her lips and kisses the white knuckles, laying a soft, sweet touch to each rise of bone. "Yes. That's right. You're right. Completely right." Anna breathes. Or tries to. Suddenly it's difficult. Her chest is heaving and her heart is hammering in her rib cage. It's difficult to _breathe_ and every breath makes her quiver as she continues to speak. "I-I don't know when or how. B-but I do know that somewhere along the way I just started _thinking _about you. Differently." She stops, red creeping down her neck.

Elsa stares at her, blue eyes wide. Her hand is trembling slightly in Anna's. It makes her pulse race more.

"It was slow, I think? But somewhere along the way I think I realized I wanted to hold you. Hold you in every way. I didn't want to be alone anymore, but mostly I didn't want to be alone without _you. _I wanted to be_ with you._ Not just as a sister, but as a l-lo—"

She inhales sharply when fingertips press against her mouth. Anna blinks, eyes brimming with tears. Elsa is still staring at her, but the torrent of emotion in her own eyes tells Anna all she needs to know.

"It was the same for me," her sister whispers, squeezing the hand she's still holding. "I thought about you so much. Not a single day went by where I wasn't thinking of you. I wanted to show you every day how much I loved you."

It hits Anna like an arrow to her chest and she inhales shakily.

Elsa hiccups and the tears brimming in her eyes makes Anna want to scoop Elsa in her arms again, hold her tightly, and never let go. But she waits, waits for her sister to continue because she's been waiting for _this _for so long.

"I wanted to open the door so much," Elsa sniffs and wipes her eye with her free hand. Anna squeezes her fingers, swallowing the lump in her throat. "And t-then after—" Elsa gulps, cheeks blushing darkly and Anna knows she's thinking back to that stormy night. She rubs her sister's leg reassuringly, flashing her a tentative smile when Elsa looks back at her. Elsa exhales slowly before shifting closer. Anna's heart jumps in her throat. "After that night, I knew we both felt the same way. But I was certain we could never be together like that. I couldn't risk hurting you again."

Anna gulps, watching Elsa lean in close, until their faces are mere inches apart. Distantly, she notices her breath rises in a fog and Elsa's doesn't.

"And now?" she asks, voice soft and trembling. Elsa shivers and her toes curl in her boots at the sight. "What about now?" she whispers.

Elsa cups her cheek and she shudders at how cold her sister's hand is. Blue eye search her teal ones.

"W-what do you think we should do?" Elsa murmurs and Anna can hear the pleading undertone in her words.

She decides to trust her heart.

"You won't hurt me," she whispers.

Anna gathers Elsa into her arms and warmth—sweet relief, fulfillment, _happiness_—blooms in her chest when she feels arms hurriedly encircle her neck in return.

They kiss, an intensity of heat and cold coming together as their lips meet. Elsa sighs into her mouth, practically melting in her embrace, and it feels like the most wonderful thing in the world to Anna. She wraps her arms around her sister's waist, pulling her as close as she can, their torsos pressing together, and is rewarded with the smallest of moans. A shock runs down her spine at the sound and she whimpers. The feel of full breasts against hers makes her cock twitch. Elsa clambers onto her lap, fingers digging into her scalp. She moves her lips over Elsa's, muttering something inaudible and incomprehensible, but her sister seems to understand all the same. Elsa pants, tilting her head, trying to deepen the kiss. Anna follows her every movement, catching her bottom lip and sucking gently.

The loud whine she receives makes her _throb._

"God, Elsa," Anna whimpers, stumbling back on the bed. She searches behind her with one hand, trying to shift them away from the edge. They're dangerously close to it and with the way Elsa is draped over her, pressing repeated, tiny kisses against her mouth, she doesn't want to risk any chances and have their moment shattered by falling over.

"Mmh! Anna!" Elsa moves with her, icy fabric sliding along her winter outfit. "I've d-dreamt about this before," her sister admits and Anna groans when hands trail down and dig into the juncture of her neck.

The cold of them is different from the mountain air. It's practically soothing and creates a delightful shock that isn't exactly pain, but not completely pleasure either. Elsa detaches from her mouth and lays kisses on the corner, words tumbling from her lips.

"I didn't think it would ever come true, but—oh!"

Anna bucks into her sister, the need pulsing between her legs too great to ignore. Elsa whines and buries her face in Anna's neck, shaking. Anna turns her head and kisses her cheek, mouth open and breath hot.

"But it's real now isn't it?" she pants, chest heaving. Elsa nods against her neck, breathless. Her sister's bosom swells against her and a tremor runs through her legs when their breasts slide against each other. Even though the fabric of that sparkling dress dulls the friction, she still aches at the sensation. "It's unbelievable I know, but it's real Elsa," she says quietly, _fiercely._

Elsa lifts her face, searching her eyes. Asking her if it is true. Her lips are red, swollen from their kissing and strands of her white-gold hair fall on the sides of her face. She bites her lip and Anna knows she's hesitating again.

Luckily for her, she knows just the way to convince her sister that everything isn't just a dream.

Anna tears off her mittens, throwing them to the wayside, ignoring the confusion that flashes across Elsa's face. She grabs her sister's hands and holds them tightly to her chest.

"Feel that?" she asks, leaning her forehead against Elsa's. Elsa blinks, blue eye widening. She shifts their hands so her fingertips can press against Anna's bodice. Anna pants and tries to calm her rapidly beating heart. She can't. Her heart only thunders more underneath her sister's touch. "See?" Elsa looks up at her, tears brimming the corner of her eyes. Anna grins weakly. "My heart doesn't beat this fast or even this way about anyone. All of Arendelle, Hans. Even Mama and Papa!" She leans in close and brushes her lips against the trembling ones before her. "None of them can hold a candle to you."

Elsa doesn't cry this time. The tears threaten to spill, but she bites her lip and inhales shakily. Anna watches her, feeling wetness burn behind her own eyes. She smiles tentatively as Elsa brings their hands up and kisses her knuckles in return. She sighs at the soft, cool feeling—twitching beneath her dress when she sees Elsa lick her lips. Her sister brings their hands to her chest and Anna refrains from whining at the feel of pliant flesh just underneath icy fabric.

"It's the same for me," Elsa says, swallowing thickly. Her throat bobs up and down and Anna tightens her jaw to ignore the way blood rushes in her nether regions. "Sometimes it feels as if the storm inside me can only stop when I think of _you._"

She's speechless, staring at the raw depth of emotion in Elsa's eyes—at the raw emotion reflecting from her own eyes.

Anna tugs Elsa close again and this time Elsa falls onto her like snow—soft, slow, and gentle. Their kiss is tender, exploring each other. She runs her tongue against Elsa's bottom lip—lightly, because she doesn't want to frighten her sister. But to her delight, the cool lips before hers part.

"Anna," Elsa moans, breathing into her mouth.

Anna jumps at the cool rush of air. She pants, clumsily tracing the contours of Elsa's lips, the tip of her tongue tentatively sliding in. A cold, wet appendage brushes against hers and she groans, eyes rolling in the back of her head."El-_saah_."

Fingertips reach up and brush her ears, making her jump. The pinprick of pleasure travels over her shoulders and down her spine. Anna shifts, one hand drifting up and pausing at bare shoulders. Alabaster skin is smooth and pleasant under her bare hands. She traces from one side to the other, moaning softly each time Elsa twitches from her ministrations.

"A-Anna," Elsa whimpers, tugging her face closer so she can swivel her tongue around Anna's.

The princess pants, digging her nails into the icy dress and pressing their bodies flush against each other. When Elsa grabs her tongue and sucks softly, she bucks forward, gasping. Elsa groans and Anna takes advantage of the action to dive her tongue deeper in, stroking Elsa's and partaking in every sound and movement her sister lets out.

Absentmindedly, she lays back, pulling her sister atop her, sighing into the cool mouth breathing into her own. Anna is caught between trying to continue the delicate, fluttering touches with her built-up passion and trying to find a spot comfortable for them both. Elsa makes the decision for her when she pushes against her shoulder and swings her leg over her hip. Anna gets a flash of her crystal heel and a hint of white skin under the slit of the dress—a slim leg brushing against her own before Elsa straddles her.

She gasps when she feels the full length of her sister's cold body atop her and arches her hips upwards involuntarily. Elsa breaks the kiss, eyes snapping open to stare at her.

"Huh?" Anna blinks dazedly, hands resting along Elsa's back. "What's wrong?"

Elsa's eyes dart down and her face blushes such a bright red that it pulls Anna from her trance. The princess swallows, shifting.

"D-did you change your mind?"

_Oh god what if she __**has?! **__What if Elsa realized she actually doesn't want to do this with me anymore. Is... Is it this body of mine? Is it our differences? Does it turn her away? Oh god I should have known my body was too—_

"How long has that been there?"

Anna starts and glances down. Elsa is staring at where their pelvises meet. The princess blinks, confusion flickering in her eyes. She tilts her head at Elsa when her sister looks back up.

"Uh, since I was born?" she says slowly, even though her brain screams that Elsa already _knows _that.

To her surprise—and slight embarrassment—Elsa giggles. It's light and short, but the pretty pink blush that blooms on her sister's cheeks soothes her worries. Anna grins crookedly up at her as Elsa shifts back and balances herself by pressing her hands on Anna's stomach. Her heart leaps in her throat when she notices what Elsa meant.

"Oh." Anna turns as red as her hair when she looks at the obvious bulge along the crotch of her dress. She shifts, grinning nervously as Elsa continues to stare at her. "S-since I-I first saw you here?"

Elsa blinks and Anna's heart threatens to burst when her sister's face mirrors her own.

"Since the stairs?" Elsa asks, voice barely above a whisper. She nods and her sister swallows, fingers twitching against her stomach. "I—" she glances to the side, biting her lip, "—did I really make that much of an impression?"

Anna inhales sharply and rises up, cupping Elsa's face. She sees surprise flash across her face before she crushes their lips together again. Elsa gasps into the kiss, hands immediately clutching her shoulders. She falls back and Elsa falls with her, angling her head to deepen the kiss. It's astonishing how electric the touch feels. Anna moans, arching up into her sister when Elsa mimics her move from earlier and sucks on her bottom lip. The faint brush of her tongue makes her lightheaded.

She pants as Elsa kisses her, eyes fluttering shut and mumbling breathlessly, "You have no idea what you do to me Elsa." She bucks up into the icy fabric of her sister's dress, muscles tensing in need. Now, she lets herself be fully aware of how her cock throbs and pulses, engorged with blood under her clothes. The burning of her skin is a tantalizing contrast to the chill of Elsa's body.

Elsa gasps and Anna moans when her sister rolls her hips down in return. She buries her hands in the hair behind Elsa's ears as Elsa breaks their kiss to lay wet touches on her jaw.

"I think I have a good idea though," Elsa murmurs and nips at the delicate skin just above her neck.

The addition of _teeth_ sends a jolt down Anna's spine. She trembles beneath Elsa as her sister moves down to her neck, taking advantage of her limp form. The feel of full lips fluttering against her skin is too much and not enough at all. Anna inhales, exhales, finds her bodice to be completely constricting. For once, her winter clothes feel too hot in the mountain air. Her natural temperature alone is scalding. Her cock strains against her underclothes, scrotum tightening with every kiss and nip Elsa lays on her neck.

"Mm, Elsa," Anna moans and tries to push her sister away.

Elsa lets up immediately, eyes flashing with worry. "What's wrong?"

Anna grunts and sits up. Elsa slides on her lap and the princess hisses when she feels a thigh twitch near her erection. "Too many clothes," she mumbles, reaching up and pulling at her clasp.

Elsa's eyes shoot up to her hairline and her hands catch Anna's. "W-wait Anna! It's so cold up here, you'll catch your death this way!" Frantically, she tries to re-clasp Anna's cloak.

The protective gesture makes her heart sing.

Anna grabs Elsa's hands and pulls them down, setting them in her lap. She sets her jaw and says, "Elsa, I'm too hot to be bothered by the cold right now." Her sister inhales sharply and Anna's expression softens. She caresses a cheek with her thumb, smiling softly. "I-I'd like to do this without clothes if you don't mind." She hopes the blush on her cheeks doesn't deter Elsa from her words.

There's a moment of silence, like snowflakes falling. She can feel her pulse race as her Queen contemplates her request. Every beat of her heart is echoed by her cock throbbing on her inner thigh.

Then, Elsa reaches down and tugs at her cloak. Anna sighs softly at the acceptance before shrugging it off. She pushes it gently to the floor and it falls to the ground with a quiet thump. Her boots are next to go. She kicks them off and grins when Elsa laughs at her wiggling toes.

"You too," Anna says, reaching over and tugging slightly at the gossamer cape.

Elsa starts, face burning bright red. "M-me?"

Anna nods, expression growing tender. She rubs Elsa's knee and whispers, "You don't have anything to worry about."

She means it in other ways besides the cold.

Elsa takes a long shuddering breath and pulls away. Anna blinks, watching in confusion as her faces screws up in concentration. She twirls her wrist and a tiny, captivating burst of blue snowflakes catches Anna's eye. The sparkles travel down her sister's body and to her shock, the dress disappears.

_Oh. Oh gosh._

Elsa sits before her, biting her lip and blushing darkly. She's utterly _bare_. Even her heels are gone.

_Oh gosh._

Anna stutters for a moment, feeling an incredible rush of heat at the sudden sight of naked white skin, full breasts, and white-gold curls at the apex of her sister's thighs. She's certain she's going to faint. Elsa cracks a tiny smile, ducking her head head shyly.

"Without clothes right?" she says, joking lightly.

Anna starts, breaking from her trance. She hurriedly reaches behind her, pulling at the knots of her bodice. It comes away quickly, even with her clumsy, shaking fingers. Her heart threatens to burst from her chest when she notices Elsa crawling over to her. Wordlessly, Elsa reaches down and tugs at the light blue shirt tucked into her dress. The only thing that keeps Anna from jumping out of her own skin is the sight of Elsa's fingers trembling. She's not the only one nervous. Anna breathes shakily, pulling at the sleeves and lifting it over her head with the help of tentative hands.

The chill pierces her bare shoulders and arms. The only thing protecting her now is her corset and dress. She gives Elsa a half-smile, watching her sister's expression. Elsa blinks, eyes running over her bare arms and shoulders. Anna shifts, biting her lip.

She wonders, quietly, if her figure is desirable. Anna knows she's small in certain places, but now she's unsure about how comfortable she is being so slim. A touch on her arm makes her jump a bit.

Elsa smiles shyly at her, cheeks pink. Her sister trails her hand up a few inches, stopping where her arm and shoulder meet. "Can I?" she asks, fingers drifting to the top of her corset.

"Yes please," Anna squeaks, teal eyes wide and figure shaking with arousal and nervousness.

Elsa beams and it's the most open, joyful expression Anna has seen on her face since coming to the North Mountain that it makes her quiver all over. Slender fingers run down the back of her corset and she can't help but breathe shallowly as Elsa shifts closer to get at the knots. She can smell the vague, lingering aroma of her sister's perfume from the coronation. It's alluring and—subtly—she presses her nose into silken, blonde locks to savor it. Goosebumps rise on her skin when her corset falls away at last.

Her heart beats rapidly in her ears and she watches as Elsa draws back, sliding the material off her frame and discarding it. Her sister stares at her and a thrill runs through her body at the hungry look in her eyes. She inhales and shivers when Elsa watches the rise of her small breasts.

_Maybe I look fine._

Elsa touches her arm and Anna shivers at how delightfully cold it is. The nervousness running under her skin lessens. She beams at her Queen and is rewarded with a tiny smile. And then a hot, heavy feeling sinks into her stomach when Elsa reaches down and begins to pull down her skirts, tugging on the belt that keeps her clothes in place. Anna stammers, face heating up as her hip bones are revealed. It doesn't take long, not with the insistency and eagerness she feels in Elsa's fingers. Her dress and belt are discarded over the bed and, this time, the chill that falls over her is much stronger; hitting her where she's most sensitive.

Her cock is fully erect, the head swollen and already leaking pre-cum. It twitches against her thigh, throbbing with a need for relief. Her desire is obvious, from her tightening scrotum to her throbbing shaft. She's bare and should feel some semblance of discomfort or nervousness in front of Elsa, but the obvious affection in her sister's eyes wipes all doubts away.

"I guess that means both of us are ready," Elsa mumbles, biting her lip and staring unabashedly at her lap.

Anna nods, swallowing. She gives a half-smile and holds out her arms. Without another word, Elsa slides into them gracefully. Her sister settles into her lap and they both groan at the feeling of naked skin upon naked skin. A shudder runs through her at the feel of Elsa's full breasts against hers. Elsa gasps softly, pressing their foreheads together. Anna's toes curl when she feels stiff nipples brush against her own.

Something _clicks _inside her. Something about being like this with Elsa feels natural; _right. _She can feel the beat of Elsa's heart when they press flush against each other.

They don't waste any more time. Something is urging them. Anna can feel the excitement shivering under Elsa's skin. She shifts so neither of them falls, pulling Elsa more firmly onto her lap.

Her cock brushes against her sister's sex and the first _real _touch of slickness against her heated shaft makes them both quiver. They both glance down and Anna feels her mouth go dry at the sight of her swollen head sliding along her sister's curls.

"I've dreamt of this too," Elsa whispers and her breath ghosts over Anna's face. Blue eyes flick up and stare into teal. "Have you?"

Anna nods, swallowing the lump in her throat. "Yes. And we can make it more than a dream," she says, voice hoarse.

Elsa shivers, nodding, and leans in close, eyes fluttering shut.

Anna sighs and tilts her head, kissing Elsa. Their lips move against each other gently despite the urgency crackling in the air. Elsa runs her hands all over her body, fingertips leaving cold trails over her freckled skin. The touches cause tiny spikes of pleasure on her warm body and she twitches when Elsa reaches up to her shoulders, nails scraping lightly. She gasps into a cool mouth when fingers drift down and tentatively cup her breasts in both palms.

"Soft," Elsa murmurs into her mouth, squeezing gently. She trembles, pleasure tingling from her chest. Her breasts feel more sensitive than ever, the cold making her nipples perk up and ache. Her sister grins against her, sighing happily. _"Warm."_

Anna blinks and tries to push the haze of pleasure settling over her back. She nudges Elsa slightly back. She receives a small grunt of annoyance at the broken kiss before it's replaced by a pleased intake of breath when she reaches over with one hand and cups a full breast. A shock sparks in her brain at the feel of a stiff nipple underneath her palm. The gasp she receives makes that shock turn into a pleasant wave of warmth that pools in her crotch.

Anna giggles and kisses the white neck before her, nuzzling it. "Soft alright," she mumbles.

Elsa's eyes flicker and she presses a kiss to her temple. Anna blushes lightly at the affectionate gesture. She bites her lip, returning to the matter at hand. They're both gentle in their ministrations, running their hands down each other's chests, feeling the difference in weight and temperature. Anna bites her lip, trying not to giggle when Elsa squeals at having her nipple pinched. The way her sister jumps in her lap is delightful.

But the way she comes back down and settles against her, wet folds sliding over her cock, is even more so. An urgency grips her. Anna leans over and kisses Elsa's bare shoulder, making her touches butterfly-soft. The hitch of breath she hears in her ears lets her know how appreciated her caresses are. It emboldens her, the tiny mewls settling in her stomach like liquid heat. Anna parts her lips, lets her tongue peek out, and brushes the flat of it between Elsa's neck and shoulder.

The long, drawn out moan sends _chills _down her spine. Her toes curl tightly and Anna gently nuzzles the column of Elsa's throat, shivering when she feels it bob up and down.

"Anna."

Elsa brings her hand up, cupping the back of her head and Anna sighs when nails lightly scrape her scalp. She opens her mouth, lavishing a hot, wet kiss on her sister's jugular. The gasp and sudden clench on her hair urges her on. Anna digs her teeth into the vein, just barely letting her canines sink into the skin.

_"Anna."_

The breathy response makes her head spin. Anna digs in deeper, taking the pulsing vein between her teeth and laving her tongue over it. Elsa gasps, bucking her hips forward at the pressure. A surge of pleasure runs through Anna when Elsa's core grinds against the length of her cock. Her swollen head brushes against soft, damp curls and she whines.

"Nh! Anna, _more,_" Elsa pleads, her hands running along Anna's back. She presses forward, pushing their breasts together and the brush of stiff, cold nipples on her own makes Anna jump. The giggle she gets makes her growl and lean back in, teeth sinking into a pale neck. _"Anna!" _Elsa bucks into her, panting in her ear. "Ah, yes! More! _Please_." Nails dig into her back and she trembles from head to toe, Elsa's mewl washing over.

"God," Anna whimpers and detaches herself from Elsa's neck, ignoring the whine and rolling of hips to repeatedly press kisses down her sister's chest.

She lingers at the hollow of her throat, the tip of her tongue delicately licking once before running over a collarbone. Elsa's breathing intensifies, one hand rising up to grip her shoulder. Anna murmurs against her sister's skin, dipping a hand down the swell of Elsa's backside. When she cups one cheek and squeezes softly, the buck and gasp she receives surprises even _her_ and her eyes fly open to witness Elsa's heavily flushed face contort into an expression of pure rapture, mouth open.

"Anna, don't stop," Elsa mewls, hips grinding slowly. Her damp sex rubs along Anna's shaft and it drives her pulse into a frenzy.

Anna shifts, rolling over onto her side and pushing Elsa down into the snowy mattress.

Elsa blinks, startled. She rises to lean on her hands. "Ah! Anna? What are you—"

Anna cuts her off with a fervent kiss, tongue parting rosy red, swollen lips and seeking out its partner. Elsa groans, arching her back off the bed and burying her hands in strawberry-blonde hair. Anna swings her leg over, straddling her. She squeezes her thighs, moaning when she feels the graceful swell of her sister's hips. Her hands cup Elsa's face and the appreciative sigh she gets causes goosebumps. Their kiss is practically bruising and Elsa catches Anna's lip between her teeth, nipping lightly.

The urgency in Anna's abdomen only increases when her shaft rests on the Queen's stomach. Pleasure tingles where Elsa's muscles flex and clench. The sensitive underside of her cock glides slowly along with the rolling motion of her sister's hips. She pants, breaking their kiss to trail her lips down Elsa's jaw. The twitching and arching of the cold body beneath her drives her on. She ducks her head, nipping at collarbones and kissing the hollow of her sister's throat. Elsa's chest heaves as Anna moves down, hands gripping her hair tighter with each passing inch. Anna feels damp curls underneath her cock and scrotum when she finally hovers over the swell of one breast.

"Anna," Elsa whines and squirms.

Anna bites her lip and moans, nuzzling the soft flesh of her sister's breast. One hand cups her neck and she sighs at the cool touch on her heated skin. The hunger in her stomach increases tenfold when her breath causes goosebumps to rise on pale skin. She leans herself on her elbows, legs bracing with effort. Then, she presses a tiny, chaste kiss on its side, a shiver of pleasure running down her back at the feel of cool flesh on her lips. Elsa's fingers dig into her hair, at the base of one of her braids. It gives her tingles and Anna presses a trail up her sister's breast, ears picking up the sound of breathing quickening. She lifts her gaze, eyes seeking out Elsa's face just as she reaches the peak and plants a delicate kiss on a pink nipple. Elsa bites her lip, watching her and the pleading in her blue eyes make heat coil tightly in Anna's stomach, sinking down into her pelvis.

Anna breaks their gaze and kisses the erect bud again, sighing at the texture and coolness of it. Elsa squirms underneath her, nails scraping her scalp more harshly. She sighs through her nose as she kisses it again, and again—again and again until Elsa is heaving underneath her, hips twitching and rolling from side to side, pressing up against her until Anna's shaft is throbbing between their stomachs. Anna moans, eyes fluttering shut as she opens her mouth and takes Elsa's nipple between her lips, running her tongue over the tip and sucking.

"Yes," Elsa whispers, clutching Anna's head tighter to her breast. Anna feels her shift before more of her sister's breast is pushed into her mouth. She groans as Elsa clings tightly to her, murmuring breathily into her ear, _"Yes_. Oh, Anna, more please!"

The plea sends her into a frenzy. Anna pants and swirls her tongue around the swollen bud, taking as much of the quivering flesh as she can into her mouth while her other hand trails up and gropes Elsa's other breast. Elsa bucks under her and Anna cracks open one eye to see her sister tilt her head back, a whine breaking from her throat. Her cock throbs at the noise and she sucks harder, gripping the other nipple between two fingers and pinching it.

Elsa's cry of pleasure shakes her to her core. Anna shuts her eyes tightly, letting the taste of her sister's skin and the sound of her elation be her guide. She lets the breast go with a pop, panting, trying to get oxygen into her lungs as she kisses a trail towards the other peak.

When she wraps her lips around that swollen bud, Elsa tugs on her braid, voice hoarse and desperate. "More, harder Anna."

Anna moans, her hips beginning to grind back and forth, cock sliding on a smooth stomach. The actual feel of cold skin and damp curls brushing the underside of her shaft causes an ache in her chest.

"More," Anna whispers, detaching her mouth from the stiff peak and kissing a trail down her sister's quivering stomach. Her member brushes briefly over wet folds and heat winds tightly in her scrotum, making her shiver and twitch. "Yes, _more._" Elsa whines at the loss of contact, arching up into her and tugging at her braid to pull her back up. Anna ignores the incessant pulling to stop at Elsa's belly button and swirl her tongue around it, nipping gently at the sensitive skin and earning a low groan in return. Anna kisses down until she reaches the top of white-gold curls.

She pauses, breath puffing against the fine hair and hands running gently down Elsa's sides. The scent of Elsa's arousal is dizzying and when she shifts, slipping her legs between her sister's and parting them, the sight makes her world spin.

Elsa trembles beneath her and Anna looks up to see her clutching one hand to her chest and clamping the other over her mouth. The princess places a small kiss on an inner thigh, rubbing circles into hips soothingly.

"More, right?" Anna asks, teal eyes staring into vulnerable blue.

Elsa inhales shakily, a bead of sweat rolling down her neck. Anna waits, still drawing circles into pale skin and kissing the top of blonde curls to reassure her. After a second, she nods. A slow grin curls on Anna's lips and she quickly kisses her sister's trembling pelvis again before moving farther down.

"It'll be okay," Anna mumbles, resting her hands on Elsa's thighs and parting them. The sight of pink, wet folds makes her mouth salivate. The scent of her arousal, so close to her, makes her shaft swell painfully. _Wow, I'm not dreaming this time. I'm actually not dreaming. This isn't a dream. It's real. Real, real, real. _A tremor of heat flows through her and her toes curl against the soles of her feet as she positions herself in front of Elsa's sex. The tip of her cock briefly brushes against her sister's leg—the cool skin a stark contrast to her engorged member.

"Anna, I—"

Anna cuts her off by pushing her nose right up against Elsa's core, inhaling heavily. The squeak and jump of surprise makes her giggle lightly. She glances up at her sister to see Elsa biting her thumb, chest heaving. A blush darkens Anna's freckled cheeks. Elsa, trembling, blushing, and sweating before her is all too much.

_I can't wait any longer._

Anna grabs her sister's thighs and slings them over her shoulders, providing support and a better position. Then, she descends.

"Anna!"

Elsa shrieks and bucks into her when the flat of her tongue runs over her sex in a long, slow lick. Anna moans at the taste. It's heady. Her head is spinning. Elsa is soaking; a strange mixture of cold and heat. It spurs her on, causes little shivers to run through her, makes her muscles twitch, and her hips to grind against the icy mattress, searching for some source of relief for her swollen shaft.

She opens her mouth wider, brushes a faster, firmer lick on her sister's sex. Elsa digs her soles into shoulders and cries out softly. Anna groans and licks again, eyes fluttering shut from the taste. "Wow," she mumbles into the dripping folds, tracing the skin with the tip of her tongue. "E-Elsa, you're so—" Anna widens her jaw and takes in a lip, sucking softly, "—_wonderful._"

Elsa whines and tosses under her, hips arching off the bed and pressing more of her swollen sex into Anna's mouth. The princess moans and lets go with a noisy suck, running the tip of her tongue just the barest breath in between.

"God, Anna! _Please!" _Elsa bucks into her and wet flesh surrounds Anna's tongue for a brief moment. "I don't know if I can take anymore," the Queen whimpers.

_She's been waiting as long as I have._

A surge of emotion—almost paralyzingly with how strong it is—races down her spine. Anna pants, pressing a few kisses on Elsa's sex before moving up, eyes opening to take in Elsa's shaking figure. Her sister watches her, face red and chest heaving. Her hand clutches the bed and when Anna reaches her clit, her other one drifts down and entangles in her hair. Anna beams at her and nuzzles the patch of light curls; earning a tentative smile in return.

"It's okay Elsa," Anna mumbles, breath puffing against the hooded bundle of nerves. She watches the shudder that runs through her sister. "I've got you," she whispers before wrapping her lips around the sensitive bud and flicking the tip of her tongue against it.

Elsa's scream is a combination of gratification, shock, and pure rapture. Anna sighs, sucking more harshly on her sister's clit and the vibration makes her arch and grind. She grips her thighs, but lets Elsa choose the pace, following every roll, twist, and shake with a lick or suck. The slick, smooth bundle is heavenly on her tongue. Anna curls the wriggling muscle around it, teasing at the hood before pressing firmly down on the tip. Elsa sobs, pulling at her hair and clinging tightly. She can feel her sister quivering beneath her, her muscles locking up and her breath rushing out in broken, irregular panting.

Anna pulls back and glances up at Elsa, replacing her mouth with her thumb when she hears the Queen cry at the loss of contact. She rubs circles around the bundle of nerves, breathlessly asking, "Close?"

Elsa twists her head to the side, eyes shut tight and jaw slack. "Ah! Ahuh," she says, the sound finishing in a choked groan.

Her legs tremble atop Anna's shoulders and when Anna dips back down again to swipe her tongue over Elsa's clit, the Queen sighs. The princess follows the rolling of her hips with continous flicks and brushes of her tongue. The whimpers and whines she hears make her increase her pace until Elsa's other hand shoots down and grabs her hair so roughly it sends a shock of pleasure down to her cock. The throbbing of her erection almost distracts her from her task, but Elsa's furious bucking and crying is enough to bring her back. Anna shifts, gently lifting Elsa's hips up so she can bring one hand forward and part wet folds with the back of her index finger. There's a hitch of breath before she slips it in, the wetness allowing for easy access. Anna pushes in slowly, taking Elsa's clit into her mouth to ease any discomfort her Queen might feel.

"Anna! Anna, Anna, Anna!"

Elsa sobs and digs her fingers in and teal eyes dart up to see her throw her head back. The imagery of blonde locks spilling across icy-white sheets makes her suck faster. Anna angles her head, parting her lips and running her teeth lightly over the erect bundle just as she pushes her finger all the way to the last knuckle and curls it.

She hears a sharp, breathless gasp and then muscles are tensing all around her—calves locking up around her head, walls clamping down on her fingers, thighs twitching against the sides of her face—before the body beneath her quakes.

She guides her beloved sister through her orgasm, tears pricking the corners of her eyes as she listens to Elsa's whimpering and sobbing.

"I've got you," Anna mutters.

When Elsa finally goes limp around her, legs falling from her shoulders and hands dislodging from her hair, Anna travels back up. She kisses trembling hips, stomach muscles, aching breasts, a sweaty throat, before finally kissing soft lips. She can't help but mumble incomprehensibly, "Beautiful. Beautiful, beautiful, _beautiful,_" as she kisses her sister.

Elsa moans into the gesture, cupping her face weakly. When they part, she smiles weakly at Anna. Anna beams and strokes her forehead.

"You alright?" she asks, not daring to raise her voice any higher. The vulnerability is evident in the air and for now, she wants her dearly beloved to enjoy the post-coitus.

"Wonderful," Elsa rasps, laying her head back to catch her breath.

Anna curls up next to her, content to watch her sister sleep. They have things that still need to be discussed—Arendelle for one—but for now, she trusts that they have time to enjoy the moment.

Just as she's closing her own eyes, a hand curls on her chest. Anna jumps, staring as Elsa shakily rises into a sitting position.

"Wha—?! Elsa, what are you doing?" Anna grips her sister's shoulder and tries to urge her back down. "You're tired! Get some sleep!"

Elsa grabs her hand and pushes it off, but keeps their fingers together. She still breathes as if she's run a thousand miles, but when she slings her leg over Anna's waist, the princess can feel the strength returning to her limbs. Anna gulps, teal eyes flicking down to where their pelvises connect before darting back up to see the determination on her sister's face. She doesn't even ask what Elsa's doing anymore. The shaking in her muscles and quivering of her cock says she knows already.

"Y-your turn," Elsa pants, stroking her cheek and squeezing her hand.

Anna nods, swallowing the sudden lump in her throat. "O-okay," she squeaks. All of the heat in her body heightens and her breathing quickens as Elsa leans down and kisses her cheek. She isn't certain _where _to place her hands now. The atmosphere has rapidly changed and she can only lay there, nerves racing under her skin, as Elsa trails a path down to her jaw and then up to her ears.

"So warm," Elsa whispers and Anna curls her free hand tightly to her chest, heart aching at the underlying depth of emotion in her sister's voice. A nose nuzzles the side of her face and her breath hitches at the cool air puffing next to her. "Anna," Elsa says, desire thick and evident in her voice.

A jolt of heat travels all the way down to her toes. Anna whimpers and gives a tiny, tiny thrust upwards. Her shaft brushes damp curls and she whines in the back of her throat at the slick feeling. All too suddenly, she's aware of how much her cock is swollen and aching.

Elsa sighs and cooes softly in her ear, letting go of her hand to stroke her cheek while her other cups Anna's neck. Anna shivers, letting Elsa lift her just the tiny bit so she can reach behind her ear.

She jumps, gasping as cool lips press just right behind her ear. A shock that feels more like a rolling sensation goes through her and she falls limply on the mattress, a tiny cry escaping her mouth.

"Oh!" Anna twists, biting her lip as a cold tongue laves over the spot. "W-what? H-how is this—" she's interrupted by lips parting and teeth sinking into the skin. Anna bucks, arousal hitting her hard as Elsa leans on her. Full breasts slide against her smaller ones and she squirms, panting. "Wow. _Wow_, Elsa." The princess turns her head, whining as Elsa sucks. She's completely weak from the action, unaware that that spot could be so sensitive. _How did Elsa even know that?!_

"Anna," Elsa moans, detaching her lips with a wet pop and Anna whines as her skin tingles and buzzes. "Oh Anna, you have no idea how long I've wanted to do this," Elsa pants, trailing cold kisses down her neck.

She shouldn't find the touch as pleasurable as she does, but she _does. _Whereas the mountain air had bit and tore into her skin as she had ascended with Kristoff to her sister's ice palace, Elsa's chill body provides a delightful, soothing sensation—almost teasing in its depth of temperature. Her overheated body pulses and aches for Elsa to kiss her more.

It's as if they were made to complement one another.

"El-saah," Anna breathes and tentatively reaches up to cup the back of her sister's head. The white-gold strands feel impossibly soft and silken under her fingertips. It's better than any dream she's dreamt. Anna feels tears prick her eyes and turns her head to nuzzle the crown next to her. "Please, I think I have a pretty good idea how long you've been wanting to do this, but _please_" she whispers, begs, pressing her cock into Elsa's stomach.

"Shh," Elsa cooes, kissing down her jaw and stopping at her neck. "I-I want to take our time," the Queen admits softly, brushing her lips on the juncture between Anna's neck and shoulder. She gives an open-mouth kiss, the flat of her tongue pressing firmly into her tingling skin. Anna moans, holding Elsa to her neck as her sister begins to suck.

_God, that feels __**good. **_She bites her lip, tilting her head to the side to give Elsa more room. Lips drift up and clamp on her jugular, sucking and kissing so firmly that Anna's legs squirm, thighs pressing together tightly. She bucks up, trying to find a source of friction for her throbbing erection. Her sister rises off of her and Anna whines at the loss of cold skin on her member. She's hot. Burning up and Elsa's body seems to be the only thing keeping her from overheating.

"Elsa," Anna tugs on white-gold locks, lungs fighting for air, "more. Don't stop."

Her sister kisses her cheek one last time before traveling down, slipping from her hold. Anna's eyes flutter open to see breasts sway just before Elsa positions herself on her stomach. Cold fingers travel up her sides, running lightly up the swell of her breasts. She trembles, biting her lip so hard she swears she tastes blood. Elsa circles her nipples with the very edge of her fingertips and Anna is certain she sees magic spark lightly on her skin as those fingers brush and caress.

"Nh!" Anna arches upward as Elsa takes the swollen buds between her fingers and tweaks. "Ah! Elsa!"

The tenacity on her sister's face vanishes from her reaction. A grin, small, but _bright_ and adoring, curls on Elsa's face. Anna whimpers and pushes her chest farther into cold hands, letting out a breathless moan as Elsa leans down and kisses the valley between her breasts. She swallows thickly, arousal hot and tight in her stomach from the sight.

Elsa kisses up her left breast, the tiny grin on her lips seemingly adding to the pleasure buzzing from her touches. Anna pants and grabs the sheets beside her head, fingers digging into the icy fabric. She needs something to hold onto. The moment feels so unreal, even though she knows it isn't. That Elsa feels the same way about her is earth shattering.

And so she lets herself fall, tilting her head back and moaning loudly when lips wrap around an aching nipple. Anna arches her back, squirming until thighs squeeze firmly around her hips, halting her movement. She whines when a cold tongue unfurls around the swollen bud, flicking it back and forth until teeth lightly catch it.

Even Elsa's _mouth _is cold. At least her dreams were right in that regard.

"Anna," Elsa moans around her nipple, sucking firmly, "how long do you think you can last?"

Anna's breath hitches and she feels flushed. She tries—vainly—to buck into her sister's stomach, cock twitching, but Elsa holds her in place with her legs. The princess groans, burying her face in the sheets, whimpering, "I-I don't know. I-I've been h-hard since the stairs remember?"

Even the _admission _that she's been aroused since seeing Elsa is freeing.

She watches her sister out of the corner of her eye, cheeks flushing from the look of rapture on Elsa's face. Her body twitches when Elsa lets her go with a pop, trailing kisses to the other breast, murmuring, "Yes, I know. I-I'll try and make sure you feel as good as I did." Her lips wrap around the stiff bud and she suckles softly, cheeks billowing as her hand comes up to the now empty breast and gropes it.

Anna fights for air, chest heaving as pleasure travels down from cool lips to her pelvis, sparking nerves and making her cock twitch with each lick and caress of Elsa's tongue. She sets her jaw, clamping her mouth shut because the moans threatening to spill from her throat are loud and deep. Her calves quiver and each attempt at thrusting into her sister's abdomen is met with firm resistance.

"_El-saah—_"

Something scrapes across her aching nipple and she jumps, gasping as her skin is delicately pulled between white teeth and bitten. The jolt of pleasure that spreads from her breast makes her blood boil.

"Ah! Elsa! A-again!"

Elsa blinks at her, blushing despite the fact that she gently bites Anna's nipple again. Anna gnaws on her bottom lip, trying to stop the groan from escaping her throat. The soles of her feet dig into the bed, muscles tensing as little shocks travel through her body. Her sister releases the swollen bud and gives it one last, slow lick. Then, she moves down, angling her head to kiss the sides of Anna's rib cage, icy breath creating goosebumps wherever she goes. Anna whines at the loss of contact, one hand shooting down to grab a fistful of Elsa's hair.

"El-Elsa! Wait, don't stop," she whimpers, tugging lightly on the silken strands. Her breasts are sensitive and the aching swollen tips seemed to be soothed only by her sister's cool tongue.

But instead, Elsa reaches up and gently untangles Anna's hand from her hair, intertwining their fingers and kissing her wrist. Anna inhales sharply and blinks, feeling wetness burn the back of her eyelids from the tender gesture. Elsa nips at her pulse and Anna exhales shakily, caressing her sister's cheek.

"Please," she whispers.

Elsa blinks at her, a soft smile curling on her lips. She leans down and kisses Anna's quivering stomach. "Okay," she says and then makes a path towards her pelvis.

Anna lets her go, breath coming out in increasingly rapid puffs, heart beginning to thunder in her ears as she watches those red, red lips kiss closer and closer to her stiff erection. She grips the bed sheets until her fingers are numb from the cold. Elsa pauses at the top of strawberry-blonde curls and Anna watches her bite her lip.

"S-something wrong?" she squeaks. She prays there isn't, but the way Elsa lifts herself up slightly to stare at the top of her curls makes her think otherwise. Anna bites her lip and cups her hands together, chest tightening. "Elsa?"

Elsa glances up, surprise flickering in her eyes,

Anna winces and glances away, unable to keep contact. "You don't have to if you don't—"

"That's not it."

Anna snaps her gaze back, teal eyes widening in surprise at the quiet, but firm tone. Elsa ducks her head and the princess watches a blush bloom on pale cheeks.

"I-I want to," Elsa says, eyes darting up and then back down shyly, "I-it's just I don't know _how _to," she admits.

"Oh." Anna flushes as brightly as her red hair, uncertain whether to laugh or cough in nervousness. She reaches down, caressing a reddening cheek and smiles slightly. "That's okay. I'm just happy being with you at last."

Elsa swallows and Anna sees tears glistening in her eyes. The princess jumps, rising into a sitting position to frantically brush away the tears gathering there.

"Ah! Elsa, please don't cry, I'm—"

Elsa cuts her off with a fervent kiss, grabbing the back of her neck and shoving their lips together. Anna moans, eyes fluttering shut at the cold feel of her sister's mouth. She sighs through her nose, ignoring the ache that starts in her back and neck from the awkward position.

They part, breathless, and Elsa says heatedly, "Lie back down."

Anna gulps and slowly does as she's told, excitement and expectation creeping down her body. Elsa kisses her stomach one last time before nuzzling the top of her curls, sighing in contentment. It sends a shiver down her spine, feeling her sister's breath ghost so close to her throbbing cock. Elsa shifts and grips her thighs. Liquid heat pools in Anna's stomach. Her throat feels dry and she can only shake as hands part her legs, cold air rushing over lower region.

Elsa sidles between her legs and Anna's heart nearly jumps out of her chest as her sister's eyes take in the entirety of her swollen cock and scrotum. Everything is incredibly reminiscent to one of her dreams, except that the hungry look Elsa lays upon her is undeniably _real. _She swallows, tongue thick and heart in her throat. The head of her cock twitches and for some reason, seeing Elsa watch her, makes Anna feel deeply aroused and vulnerable.

_Is this what Elsa felt when I was close to her like this?_

Anna whimpers and feels the sudden urge to cover herself. But before she can reach down and hide her erection, Elsa braces herself on her elbow and touches the tip of her shaft with one finger. Anna gasps, jumping from the light, cold touch. Elsa's eyes flick up to her and a tiny smile curls on the edge of her lips.

"More?" she asks.

Anna nods, gripping the sheets. "Please," she says and the tips of her ears burn bright red at the pleading tone in her voice.

Elsa sighs softly and runs her finger down Anna's shaft, tracing the thick, pulsing vein on the underside. Anna's thighs tremble at the impossibly soft touch. Up and down does her finger travel, as if testing the shape and feel of her skin. Her breathing is irregular, heart pumping rapidly in her chest as Elsa trails her finger over her shaft, eyes falling to half mast. Her sister leans in closer and Anna stiffens when she pauses. Desire burns in her stomach, running hotly through her veins.

A sharp nail lightly scratches her glans.

"Elsa!" Anna bucks up, inhaling sharply as a tiny, pin prick of pain shoots up her spine.

"Hm?" Elsa hums absentmindedly, index finger drifting up and tickling the slit on her head.

"Ah, I—" Anna's words break into a whine when a cold hand wraps around her shaft. The very real sense of friction turns her limbs to jelly. She turns her head to the side, shoving her fist into her mouth to fight back her moans. "_Oh, _Elsaaa."

She hears the hitch in Elsa's voice as she asks, "A-are you alright Anna?"

Anna nods, trembling in her sister's hand. "I-I'm fine." Tentatively, she gives a tiny thrust upwards, gasping at the pleasure that seeps into her skin when her shaft slides along Elsa's palm. The tip twitches when it's gripped and she bites her lip hard to keep from making any embarrassing sounds.

Elsa squeezes her and she moans, bucking. A thumb curiously rubs into her glans and Anna shrieks, throwing her head back as a bolt of pleasure shoots from the crown of her head down to the soles of her feet.

"A-Anna?!"

"I'm fine!" she gasps. She arches her hips, pushing her head farther into Elsa's palm. "M-more?"

Elsa's eyes flicker with heat as she squeezes Anna's cock, licking her lips when Anna quivers. "Yes," she whispers, lowering her head. _"More."_

Anna's eyes widen as Elsa leans in and presses her lips to the base of her shaft. Full, red—_cold—_lips kiss where her cock and scrotum meet. It takes everything in her not to buck and squirm. Her muscles tense as Elsa tilts her head and wraps her lips around the base, a wet tongue stroking slowly. She moans, spreading her legs to give her sister better access, the need in her stomach traveling down and coiling tightly at the base of her cock.

_I don't know how much longer I can take._

Elsa fingers her slit, collecting the pre-cum beading on the tip before stroking her hand down. The palpable friction is strangely searing despite the chill. The Queen lets go with a short suction, kissing her way up. Anna squirms, tingling where Elsa's lips and tongue trace the thick vein on her underside. Heat is rapidly clouding her mind and a haze settles over her as Elsa brushes the flat of her tongue against her glans.

"Elsa," Anna moans around her hand, twisting her head. "P-please!"

Icy breath ghosts over her head and she shakes, waiting. Then, just as she glances down, a cold mouth parts and draws the tip of her cock just the barest bit in. Anna squeals, pleasure rocketing down and causing her muscles to quiver. She feels Elsa take her in slowly, moaning around her erection. The vibration creates little shivers. Anna tries to watch as her sister engulfs her swollen head, staring at full lips as they puff around her shaft. It's almost too much, feeling the cold slickness that is Elsa's mouth. It's far better than anything she's dreamed of and when Elsa pauses halfway, face flushed and white-gold strands sticking to her forehead, Anna almost comes from the sight alone.

It seems that's as far as her sister gets. Anna lays there, panting as Elsa adjusts to her size. She doesn't think she's very large in comparison but Elsa's as virginal as _she _is.

Blue eyes flick up to watch her.

Anna flushes, toes curling. She waits.

Elsa exhales through her nose before closing her eyes and sliding up, lips just barely enclosing her head when she stops. Anna moans and it seems that's all the encouragement Elsa needs before diving back down. The cold friction is overwhelming. Anna throws her head back, groaning as a hand wraps around the base of her cock and squeezes. Her pulse races, heightening when she listens to the sounds of Elsa sucking.

It's too much.

A tongue laves over the thick vein. Teeth nip just slightly at her swollen head when lips drag up. The hand at her base travels down and gently cups one side of her scrotum, fingers caressing, rolling, and squeezing. The wet cold around her cock creates a contrasting ache between her heated skin and the chill of Elsa's mouth.

It's too _much._

Anna whines, squirming beneath her sister. Her hips begin to thrust up; tiny, tiny movements burying her deeper into Elsa's mouth as a knot begins to form at the base of her shaft. Elsa moans around her head, the sound causing a vibration to surge through her. Pleasure runs up and down her spine, making her world spin. Elsa is cold. Elsa is _wet _around throbbing erection, lips dragging faster and faster around her shaft.

_It's all too much._

Anna comes faster than she expects, gasping loudly as her cock swells and ejaculates. She screams, bucking up and driving more of herself into Elsa's mouth, clutching the bed sheets with all her might as her scrotum tightens. The world turns white for a second and ecstasy blocks out everything but the chill around her. Anna twists, muttering incoherently as she expels herself.

Faintly, she hears Elsa cough in surprise and when she weakly opens an eye, she glances down in time to see her sister pull back from her cock and a trail of come splatter onto her face.

Arousal spikes unbearably high and quick at the sight.

"S-sorry," Anna whimpers, limbs shaking as Elsa sits up and slowly wipes her hand across the bridge of her nose, staring with an indescribable emotion at the come on her fingertips. Anna blushes heatedly and reaches down, covering her—still—hard cock. "Sorry," she mumbles.

Elsa snaps her gaze to her, blue eyes wide. "Was that good?"

"Eh—huh?" Anna blinks, momentarily distracted from her embarrassment.

Elsa blushes, but the smile on her face is hopeful. "You. Like that. That means it felt good right?"

Anna nods slowly, jaw slack.

Elsa beams and crawls up her body. Anna stares, mouth open until her sister kisses her, fierce and elated. Anna returns it as best as she can, still shaking from exertion. She tingles everywhere when she tastes herself on Elsa's tongue.

_Was this how she felt after I did her?_

Anna moans, cupping Elsa's face and stroking her thumbs on soft skin. Contentment settles in her bones and she smiles when Elsa pulls back and her sister's eyes makes her tremble. Anna kisses the tip of Elsa's nose, hoping her love is just as obvious.

Elsa sighs and sits up. Anna grins until she notices the semen still splattered on her sister's face. She jumps, grabbing a part if the sheet and reaching up.

"O-oh! Let me get that for you Elsa!"

Elsa blinks curiously as Anna fumbles with the sheet, fingers trembling as she begins to delicately wipes her sister's face.

"You don't have to," she says, though she doesn't move.

Anna blushes hotly and stutters, "Well, I- uh, made the mess so it's only right. Right?"

But just as she's reaching over to wipe the last, thick drop on an elegant cheek, Elsa grabs her wrist.

"El—?"

Her heart skips several beats when Elsa swipes the drop with her thumb and stares at it. Then her blood boils as red lips wrap around the finger and suck.

Elsa moans, eyes fluttering shut.

Anna's hands drop to her sister's hips and she gulps, feeling her cock twitch and swell again. Elsa blinks her eyes open, cheeks reddening even as she smiles shyly.

"What now?" Elsa asks, sliding her hands up her shoulders.

Anna swallows, tongue too thick and dry to form words. She takes a chance to demonstrate by shifting her hips.

The tip of her cock presses against Elsa's inner thigh. Her sister goes stiff as a board, eyes widening. Anna withdraws, stammering when Elsa's face goes blank.

"We don't have to," she squeaks, moving her pelvis away from the apex of her sister's thighs. "Maybe we should just rest and—"

Hands squeeze her shoulders tightly. Anna clamps her mouth shut as Elsa glances down and bites her lip. She repositions herself, effectively straddling Anna and parting her legs. A surge of heat runs through the princess when she feels wet folds press down on her head.

Elsa is trembling as much as she is, inhaling shakily. Anna clutches her hips, mouth dry. Their eyes connect, taking the other in. The air crackles with vulnerability. A cold hand reaches down and wraps around her cock to steady her. Anna shudders and presses a chaste kiss to her sister's lips.

Then, with a slow exhale, Elsa moves down.

Anna gasps sharply as her head slips in. It's different. Different than the feel of Elsa's mouth. Everything's wetter, smoother. It's a strange mixture of cold, then heat, then cold again. Her brain goes blank trying to describe the feeling as Elsa slowly slides down. Her thighs tremble as slickness envelops her cock. A vevelty tightness squeezes all around her. Muscles flex and clench on her cock. Her shaft is halfway in before Anna glances up, panting and shivering.

The sight of her Queen makes her stiffen.

Elsa's bottom lip is pulled between her teeth, cheeks dark red and hair sticking to her face. A bead of sweat rolls down her neck and her eyes are shut tight, tension lining every part of her face.

Anna whimpers and grips Elsa's hips tightly, halting her movements. Her sister's eyes fly open and those big, blue eyes stare at her, confusion flashing.

"If it hurts," Anna stammers, worry piercing her heart, "we should stop." She begins to slowly lower her hips, biting the inside of her cheek when muscles slide around her. "I don't want to hurt you," Anna whimpers, feeling tears prick the corner of her eyes.

A hand grabs her chin and she's pulled into a fierce kiss.

"El-saah," Anna moans and cups her sister's neck, massaging gently.

"It doesn't hurt," Elsa murmurs into her lips and Anna hears her voice crack. She pulls back and tries to catch her breath, hands moving back to re-grip her shoulders. "I'm just not used to it," she says, desire thick in her words.

Anna gulps and nods. Blue eyes shut and teal takes in very expression. The Queen shifts and pushes down, taking in Anna inch by inch again. This time she lets herself moan, shuddering when Elsa does the same as their pelvises meet. They pause, chests heaving as both of them adjust to the unfamiliar sensation. Anna watches Elsa's face, looking for any signs of pain or discomfort as her sister accommodates to the strange intrusion in her sex.

She's hyperaware of every little twitch, every spot around her cock, and every miniscule expression that flashes across her sister's features. She inhales sharply—

"_Wow_," Elsa whimpers, shaking from head to toe.

Anna's heart threatens to burst or freeze or stop entirely. She bites her lip. "_Wow_," she echoes, breath catching. Her toes curl and her cock quivers in Elsa's sex, pleasure spreading through her with every twitch and flex of her sister's walls. "You okay?" she croaks, teal eyes wide and wet.

Elsa blinks and stares at her, the rosy hue lighting up her pale face. She smiles, lips trembling, and nods. "I'm okay." Then, her face contorts as she shifts from side to side.

Anna cries out hoarsely as walls clamp harshly down on her cock before relaxing.

"Just...getting used to it," Elsa says, voice high.

Then, with one last shaky inhale, she slides back up. Anna shuts her eyes tightly, groaning at the friction the movement creates. This was _vastly _different. She'd never even dreamed about this. Her hands drift up, one sinking into white-gold hair while the other wraps around Elsa's waist. Elsa whines and buries her face in Anna's neck as she's brought close. Cold air brushes her skin and Anna kisses every inch of white she can reach as Elsa pauses at the tip of her shaft.

Then she slides back down and this time, Anna gently thrusts up, meeting her halfway. The tiny cry in her ears gives her chills. Everything becomes a blur. Elsa moves faster, hips starting to roll as she adjusts and Anna begins to match her pace, panting in her sister's ear as she bucks. Elsa moans, clutching her shoulders tightly as she gains confidence. She rises up higher, clamping around her head before slamming back down. The princess fights for breath, the hold on her body impossibly soft and tight at the same time. Walls twitch around Anna's shaft, the inner wetness increasingly making things smooth and slick. They find a rhythm eventually. Anna rolls her hips and thrusts up every time Elsa rises or squeezes. Her sister pants, moans, and whimpers. Whatever discomfort she might have felt is gone as her voice gradually rises in pitch.

"Ah-ah-_nah,_" Elsa whines and mouths her neck. "F-feels g-good."

"Oh, _Elsa,_" Anna hisses and gropes her rear without thought. "_El-saah._" The high, breathy cries she receives sends a jolt down her spine. She bucks, earning a scratch down her back. Teal eyes crack open and glance sideways. She starts, thrusting up without meaning to when she takes in the sight of her sister.

Elsa is a wreck, mouth open and breath heavy. Her eyes are shut and darting beneath their lids. Her braid is coming apart and Anna has never seen her lips so red before. Sweat drips down her face and the knowledge that it's _her _causing her sister to heat up despite her magic undoes her. She clutches a hind cheek and squeezes, jerking her hips up in rapid movements. The cry of intense pleasure escaping from Elsa's throat makes her shudder all over. Nails dig into her skin and cold _magic _flows over body, sparking nerves and creating a delight sensation for her heated skin.

Elsa grits her teeth, hissing in her ear as she grinds down. "Anna, Anna, Anna," she mumbles. A particular thrust and roll makes her throw her head back. "Ngh! _Anna_, don't stop!"

"Never," Anna pants, attaching her lips to the white column before her. She sucks harshly, tugging the pulsing vein between her teeth and biting down. "I've got you Elsa," she moans, lifting her up with one hand and slamming her cock in.

Elsa cries out, walls clamping around her tightly and squeezing. They pant, clinging to each other as tightly as possible. Nails scratch and cling, teeth bite and tug. Hands run along backs and search. Being this close makes them shake. Anna swears she can feel Elsa's heart beating rapidly in tune with her own.

Absentmindedly, her hand drifts back to Elsa's rear and caresses the soft, pale flesh.

A breathless cry in her ear makes her pause for a second before Elsa continues to thrust down into her. Anna pants, eyes rolling in the back of her head. She clings tightly to the lingering coolness of her sister's skin, mumbling something incoherently as her hand squeezes Elsa's rear.

"Anna," Elsa whimpers and nibbles the spot behind her ear.

Anna blinks.

An idea forms in the back of her mind. She pants, trying to keep up with Elsa's rolling and grinding. Her sister moans in her ear, fingers digging into her shoulders and Anna takes advantage of one particular, distracting thrust to slide her hand down Elsa's back. Elsa whines and bites her shoulder, walls clamping around her cock and Anna almost forgets what she's planning to do until she reaches the swell of Elsa's rear.

Elsa stiffens considerably when her finger parts her hind cheeks, a gasp escaping through her throat. "A-Anna?!" Her sister turns her head sharply to gaze down at where her finger is and Anna nuzzles the column of Elsa's throat, breath coming out in needy puffs.

Her finger inches down, cock twitching at the feel of fleshy cheeks parting for her digit's movement. She pauses at the entrance of Elsa's rear, pad hovering over the quivering skin.

Elsa digs her nails into her shoulders, inhaling sharply and trembling all around her. Anna groans when her sex squeezes her cock.

"C-can I?" she whispers. She presses a soft kiss to the bobbing throat in front of her, lips fluttering along Elsa's pulse. "We don't have to if you don't want to, but Elsa," she breathes over the shell of a pale ear, "can I?"

She waits, listening to Elsa pant in her ear. A shudder runs through her every time Elsa flexes around her cock and underneath her fingertip.

"I-in both places?' Elsa squeaks.

Anna pulls back her finger, stuttering, "W-we don't have to of course. I understand if you don't want to—"

A hand grabs her wrist and she stops, looking up into blue eyes. Elsa bites her lip, chest heaving. A bead of sweat drips down the side of her face and Anna watches it fall, swallowing thickly when it runs down her neck to the valley of her breasts. Her sister squeezes her wrist and Anna is distracted from the way Elsa's walls clench and unclench around her cock.

"Elsa?" she croaks, eyes searching her sister's face.

Elsa glances to the side, the blush on her cheeks brighter than ever. She inhales slowly and when she speaks her words are so quiet, Anna almost misses them even with how close they are.

"W-we can...try."

Heat spreads over her chest and makes her pulse race. Anna gulps down air, quivering underneath Elsa. She gives a tiny mewl when her cock swells in Elsa's sex and her sister gasps, an obvious shiver passing through her body.

"O-okay," Anna says. She nods and presses a swift kiss to Elsa's lips, gaining an appreciative moan in return. "Okay, I just- I just need to warm you up."

"I think I'm warmed up enough already," Elsa says, voice high. She tugs Anna's wrist back down, pressing her finger against her rear entrance. Anna's jaw drops and her heart pounds in her chest. "Anna, _please._"

Anna stammers, whole body flushing. The needy whine Elsa lets out and the way she rolls her hips makes her shut her eyes. "Oh god Elsa." She pants and thrusts up, both of them groaning at the return of friction. She swallows, trying to regain her focus and gently pushes Elsa up. "W-wait, just wait a second okay Elsa?"

Her sister whimpers, pressing kisses repeatedly against her neck, making it that much harder for Anna to slip out. Her cock bobs in the air when she pulls out, utterly wet from being inside Elsa and the loss of contact almost makes her change her mind. Almost.

"Anna," Elsa whines as she's left empty. "What are you doing?"

"One second," Anna says breathlessly, crawling over to the edge of the bed and fumbling with her fallen clothes. She locates the tiny pouch hooked on the belt of her dress and extracts the bottle of oil.

Elsa watches her with a confused expression as she crawls back up, grin curling on her lips.

"This should make things easier," Anna says, settling back in front of her sister and uncorking the tiny bottle. She pulls Elsa into her lap, who trembles with anticipation.

"H-how do you even know about this?" Elsa asks, clutching her shoulders. Her legs shake as she spreads them.

"Another time," Anna mumbles, placing the bottle aside when her finger is sufficiently coated. She's too preoccupied with her sister tensing above her to completely explain.

The possibly of "another time" seems to erase all other questions Elsa has. Her sister rises up, re-positioning herself, and Anna's eyes bulge out when soaked folds brush repeatedly on the tip of her cock.

"Then, hurry up," Elsa says, grabbing her wrist and leading her hand back to her rear entrance.

Anna lets out a puff of breath and lightly brushes the ring of muscle. Elsa wraps her arms around her neck and with a slow exhale, slides back down on her cock. It goes in easy this time and Anna takes advantage of the distraction to slip her finger in.

_Tight_, she thinks, eyes widening as a different kind of sensation engulfs her finger. She wagers Elsa is tighter here than elsewhere. Anna moves slowly, trying to avoid any possible pain, jaw slackening as Elsa moans deeply, twitching all around her. Her pupils dilate as her cock is enveloped completely and her finger pushes up to the last knuckle.

"_God,_" Elsa hisses and bites her lips, eyes shutting tightly. "Anna, that's- thats—" Anna twists her finger slightly, just to test the waters and see how much her sister can take, "—ngh!"

Anna watches the rapture on Elsa's face, heart hammering in her ears. Her throat is dry. Her cock is throbbing from the feel of her sister's sex. Her finger slowly, _slowly _explores the unfamiliar walls massaging her digit.

For a breathless, heated moment, Anna wonders what it would be like to replace her finger with her shaft.

The idea makes her buck harshly, pleasure shooting down her spine when Elsa clamps around her, a scream tearing itself from her throat. They fall into a rhythm again, Elsa rolling her hips and panting in her ear, mumbling her name over and over.

"God, Elsa, you're _tight_," Anna whimpers and her whole body flushes as she withdraws her finger until the tip is the only thing in and slides it back in slowly.

Elsa groans, grinding into her lap and attaching her lips to her neck. Teeth sink in and tease at her skin. Anna whines and thrusts up, the both of them now so slick that she slides easily.

"Yes," Elsa pants, sucking on her pulse. "Yes, Anna, just like that."

They press flush against the other, breasts pushing into breasts. Their nipples slide against each other, soothing the swollen, aching buds. Everything fades away. The loneliness in Anna's heart shatters as Elsa kisses her cheek, mumbling in her ear.

"Love you. Love you, love you, _love you_. So, so much."

She swears that her heart really does burst this time, erupting inside her, sorrow and joy overflowing, overwhelming, overcoming her. Anna pants and catches her sister's lips, whispering into the cool mouth, "I love you too. I love you too Elsa. Oh, how I've missed you so."

_I've missed you so, so much._

"I've got you," she rasps against Elsa's lips, "I've got you, my love."

She thrusts up, holding herself in place and grinding their pelvises together. Her finger twists and rubs the wall closest to Elsa's sex.

"A-Anna!" Elsa breaks their kiss and cries out. She throws her head back, fingers clawing at her scalp. "Oh god, _Anna!_"

Her whole body tightens and Anna groans when she feels walls clamping down on her cock. She pants, nipping at the juncture between Elsa's neck and shoulder, drawing pale skin between her teeth and lashing at it with her tongue—turning it a dark, dark red. A needy whine escapes Elsa's throat and her sister rolls her hips down into her, nails digging in. Anna whines and thrusts up, twitching and throbbing and pulsing with how tight and cold Elsa's sex is around her shaft. She nuzzles her sister's neck, breath puffing against the sensitive skin. Her finger works faster in Elsa's rear, wrist beginning to ache with how hard she's thrusting into the extremely tight entrance.

"I'm close," Elsa whines, head lolling onto her shoulder and eyes staring at her dazedly. "I-I'm so close Anna," Elsa whimpers, rolling her hips down.

The way her walls clench around Anna's cock makes her lightheaded. Anna pants, nodding and kissing the bare shoulder in front of her. Sweat rolls down her back, making her aware of the bitter cold around them. But the chill only causes slivers of delightful pain to run down her spine and she whimpers at the sensation of Elsa's icy breath over her neck.

"I'm close too," she pants, laying her cheek on Elsa's shoulder. Blue, dreamy eyes watch her and she shudders, gritting her teeth with how hard she's throbbing. "It won't be long now," she admits, feeling a rush of heat run through her.

Elsa nods against her shoulder and closes her eyes, whimpering as Anna continues thrusting inside her. Anna continues watching her expression as much as she can, trying to delay the inevitable until she's certain Elsa's reached her peak. The princess shifts slightly, angling her wrist so she can curl her finger against the wall separating Elsa's rear from her sex. The result is immediate. Elsa inhales sharply in her ear, bucking against her involuntarily. Her walls flex several times around Anna's cock and she whines at the sensation of cold squeezing her. Elsa moans, rolling her hips and running her hands over her back, nails scraping along her spine.

"_Ah-naa," _her sister breathes, grinding her body against her.

Anna shuts her eyes tightly, spots of color beginning to dance in her vision. She's so distracted, isn't sure whether she should keep thrusting into Elsa or pump her finger harder into her rear.

"_God!" _She grunts and bucks up, hitting _something_ in Elsa's sex with her cock.

The scream that splits from Elsa's throat and pierces her ears makes her dizzy. Anna falls back, hitting the mattress with a thump. She watches, jaw growing slack as Elsa writhes atop her, spine arching as far as it can go. Nails dig painfully into her shoulders, thighs squeeze her hips as hard as they can and her eyes roll into the back of her head as Elsa clenches tightly around her, muscles spasming.

"Oh wow," Anna whines, thrusting in short, jerky movements as Elsa rides her orgasm. Her sister's eyes are closed, words falling incomprehensibly from her lips as she rolls her hips, grasping at Anna as consciously as she can.

Anna pants, pupils dilated as she stares up at the vision that is her sister. Her face is bright red, stands of white-hold sticking to her cheeks and neck. Sweat dots her brow and her lips are utterly swollen. Her eyes are shut and her chest heaves with effort, breasts bouncing and nipples stiff. Anna swallows, finds it hard to breathe, and discreetly turns her wrist slightly.

_Just a bit more._

She curls her finger, twists it in a small motion, and thrusts it as far as Elsa's rear entrance will allow her.

Everything in Elsa pulls together tightly. Her erratic movements still, muscles tensing. Anna inhales, waiting, watching. Then, a tremor—deep and powerful, starting from the crown of her head—runs through her body. Anna sees Elsa shudder, a low moan edging from her throat before turning into a keening wail.

"Anna!"

Her sister's sex clenches and unclenches around Anna's cock so rapidly that she loses all focus on her ministrations. Anna bucks into Elsa with wild abandon, toes curling against the sheets and spine arching. She throws her head back, finger in Elsa's rear curling as far as it will go. There's a sobbing whine and she isn't certain if it's from Elsa or her, but in the next moment she knows she's screaming.

"Elsa!"

Her world turns snow-white and everything becomes indescribably _cold. _Fluids trickle down her cock and she swells painfully at the feel of her sister's climax. There's a heart-stopping second where her spine bends as if it will break before she crests the peak.

Colors of blue, pink, and purple flash in her vision before she recognizes nothing. Her scrotum tightens and a lightning bolt races through her before she orgasms. Her cock throbs—painfully swollen—and then bursts, coming rapidly into her sister's sex. There's several seconds of where she can just feel herself twitching and pulsing, shooting her semen into Elsa. Anna sobs, bringing her sister down to clutch tightly at her and feels Elsa do the same. A nose buries itself in her neck and they shudder together, their shared climax feeling like a roaring, twisting flurry.

The sensation of her sister's cold—along with her own heat—makes her black out for a few seconds.

When she comes to, she feels breath on her neck, soft and slow.

Anna groans, twitching slightly from the aftermath. Her eyes flutter open and she turns her head slightly, finding it's all she can do with how spent she is. Elsa's eyes are still shut, her cheeks red and her brow sweaty. Her mouth opens and Anna can tell she's struggling to draw in oxygen. The princess pants, tilting her head up to stare down their bodies.

She's still inside Elsa—in _both _places.

Biting her lip, Anna withdraws her finger from Elsa's rear as discreetly and gently as she can. A tiny moan in her ear tells her Elsa notices anyway.

"Anna," Elsa whimpers, shaking her head against her and shivering. "S-sensitive..."

"I'm sorry,"' Anna murmurs, turning her head and pressing a trembling kiss on Elsa's cheek. "But c-can't stay in there forever," she jokes, even as she herself is shaking.

Her finger comes out slick and Anna shudders at the feeling of Elsa's muscles letting her go. Then, heart still beating rapidly in her chest, Anna assesses the other situation. She bites her lip, a tiny shiver of heat moving down her toes when she realizes she's still deep inside Elsa. It's wet. Wetter than before.

_Probably because we've both—_

A whine breaks from her throat when she feels Elsa shift above her.

"Oh, wow!" Anna shuts her eyes, sinking into the bed. An ache settles into her bones, a delicious mixture of pain and pleasure making itself known. "God, too much, that's too much," she hisses.

"See?" Elsa remarks and Anna opens her eyes just to pout at her.

Her sister grins down at her and nuzzles her nose against her. The tender, chaste gesture is like medicine to the soreness in her muscles. Elsa sighs and Anna's eyes flutter shut at the cold breath ghosting over her face.

"Can we just rest for now?" Elsa whispers, pressing their foreheads together. "Just—"

She opens her eyes when she hears the hesitance in her sister's voice. Anna blinks, teal eyes flickering to watch the shy expression take over Elsa's face. She rubs a thumb soothingly into a hip bone, humming in the back of her throat.

"Go on," Anna breathes, smiling faintly.

Elsa bites her lip before nodding. She lays her head upon Anna's shoulder and wraps her arms around her, a tentative smile curling on her lips.

"Just stay inside for now?" Elsa whispers and Anna shudders at the admission. Blue eyes search hers. "Let's just rest."

Anna nods, finding it hard to speak. She lets her head drop, shaking and sweating. Elsa breathes along with her and the action gives her one last bit of energy. She cups her sister's neck and gently pulls her forward. Elsa laughs lightly at her insistence and Anna giggles into the chaste, tender kiss. Their joy reverberates through their touch, sending tingles throughout their bodies. After a long moment, they part, content to simply lay there—together after so long.

* * *

Outside the Palace, snowflakes begin to gently fall from the sky.

The rising storm goes unnoticed.


End file.
